Extent of Use of Virtual Field Trips in Instruction of History and Government Among Secondary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol4iss7pp22-38Keywords:
Virtual Field Trips (VFTs), Information Communication Technology (ICT), Instruction, History and Government, LearningAbstract
The use of field trips for instruction has been limited by the cost of trips, logistical planning, time taken in traveling, and learners’ safety concerns. This has led to the adoption of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) that offer opportunities for learners to virtually visit historical sites for learning. However, the utilization of VFTs in teaching and learning History and Government in secondary schools has not been sufficiently researched and documented in Kenya thus the essence of the study. The study was guided by Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Theory (TPACK) and adopted a Quasi-Experimental Design targeting thirty-five public sub-county secondary schools. Schools and teachers were purposively sampled while learners were randomly selected. A sample size of 372 respondents took part in the study. Learners’ questionnaires, interview schedules for teachers, and classroom observation schedules were used to collect data. The study found that majority of teachers and learners were not aware of the use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Further, even after training, teachers were not able to effectively use VFTs in instruction. Against these findings, this study recommended that the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission should team up and organize training for teachers to equip them with ICT skills for preparation and use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Also, teacher training institutions should endeavor to equip teacher trainees with ICT skills to exploit VFTs in their specific teaching-learning areas.
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