An analysis of the education potential of sites in the Cape Peninsula for secondary school fieldwork in environmental studies

• Main Author: Nightingale, Charles S
• Other Authors: Fuggle, Richard Francis
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2015
• Subjects: Environmental Education; Environmental Studies
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14806

In South African secondary schools much less fieldwork is undertaken than in a number of other countries despite fieldwork being required by some school syllabuses and the fact that, in many areas, suitable sites are ready to hand. In an attempt to assess the nature of future demands for fieldwork sites, this study reviews developments in education which lead to increasing emphasis on teaching outside the classroom, and the reasons why so little fieldwork is being done are analyzed. A methodology is developed for selecting fieldwork sites taking into account educational priorities and practical constraints. This is worked out in practice by drawing up a fieldwork syllabus for a particular school, and selecting sites in the Cape Peninsula for field studies. Finally, the educational potential of a sample of these sites is indicated by means of exercises prepared for secondary school children.