Assessing the Role of Cultural and Historical Sites in Teaching History Education in Ado-Ekiti Metrpolis, Ekiti State

This study critically examines the role of cultural and historical sites in enhancing the teaching of history education in Ado-Ekiti Metropolis, Ekiti State. It investigates the perceptions of history teachers regarding the effectiveness of using cultural and historical sites in enhancing students’ understanding of history based on gender, the current state of history education in Ado-Ekiti Metropolis concerning the integration of cultural and historical sites into the curriculum, among others. A descriptive survey design was used, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 50 history teachers selected via stratified random sampling.
The questionnaire was designed to carry out the research and it consisted of two sections. Section A deals with the personal data of the respondents, while section B contains items on assessing the role of cultural and historical sites in teaching history. Data was analyzed using various relevant statistical tools. Four (4) research questions formulated were answered using percentage indices. The hypotheses formulated in the study were tested using the t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), at a 0.05 level of significance. The analysis showed no significant differences in teachers’ perceptions based on gender or years of experience.
The findings of this study revealed that; a. the integration of cultural and historical sites into the history curriculum in Ado-Ekiti Metropolis is moderate, with limited opportunities for students visits and insufficient emphasis on these sites within the curriculum. b. Teachers perceive cultural and historical sites as significantly enhancing students interest in history, improving retention, providing real-world context and fostering critical thinking skills. c. the main challenges faced by history teachers in integrating culture and historical sites include limited funding, transportation logistics, lack of training and insufficient time in the curriculum. d. strategies to enhance the use of cultural and historical sites in teaching history include developing partnerships with local sites, providing teacher training, creating a structured curriculum, offering financial support for field trips etc.
Based on the findings of the study, it was therefore concluded that while cultural and historical sites are recognized as valuable tools for improving students engagement, retention and critical thinking in history education, their integration remains moderate due to several logistical and resource related challenges. The study recommends fostering partnerships with local heritage sites, incorporating structured site visits into the curriculum, among others.