Effects of Guided Biological Garden Field Trips on Secondary School Students Conservation Knowledge and Attitudes in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Experiential learning approaches are increasingly recognized as essential for bridging the gap between theoretical biological concepts and practical environmental stewardship. This study evaluated the effects of guided biological garden field trips on conservation knowledge and attitudes among senior secondary school students in Zaria Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Employing a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group design, a sample of 92 Senior Secondary II (SS II) biology students was assigned to either an experimental group (n = 46, receiving guided field trip instruction) or a control group (n = 46, receiving conventional classroom instruction). Data were collected using the Biology Conservation Achievement Test (BCAT) (KR-20 ≥ 0.70) and the Environmental Attitude Scale (EAS) (Cronbach’s α ≥ 0.70). One-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze post-test scores, controlling for pre-test baseline levels at a 0.05 level of significance. Results indicated that students exposed to guided field trips achieved significantly higher post-test conservation knowledge scores (F(1, 89) = 43.271, p < .001) and exhibited significantly more positive attitudes toward environmental conservation (F(1, 89) = 22.514, p < .001) than those in the conventional group. These findings demonstrate that structured outdoor experiential learning significantly enhances cognitive comprehension and affective domain outcomes in ecological science. Integrating guided environmental excursions into the secondary school biology curriculum is recommended to foster actionable environmental literacy.