COMMUNICATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS AND THE LEARNING PREFERENCES OF END USERS

The importance of effective communication of researcher findings to the end users in advancing teaching, researcher and practice is well understood. However, there is an apparent gap between the methods used by researchers in reporting their findings and the learning preferences of the users of such findings. This is evident in the field of architecture, where there is a gap between researchers, the students and practitioners, who are the intended beneficiaries of the research findings. This study investigated the predominant learning preferences of postgraduate students and the methods used by the faculty in the Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, in communicating their research findings. Questionnaire surveys of 55 postgraduate students and 20 research active faculty members in this department were conducted in the last quarter of 2016. The data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics. The result shows that the students, who are mainly kinesthetic and visual learners, preferred videos as opposed to text based formats used by researchers in presenting their research findings. Although both the students and faculty were found to have preference for the Internet and electronic media for the purpose of exchanging research findings, the students relied mostly on websites as the main source of information for their academic work, while the faculty disseminate their research findings mainly through journals. The paper concludes that a reconciliation between the modes of communication used by researchers and the learning preferences of students will result in a better communication of research findings and promote effective teaching and learning in architecture

ENTREPRENEURIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PROSPECTIVE LI-ID PRENEURS

Over the years, there have been several definitions of an entrepreneur but the 21st century definition by Schumpeter is that of innovation which he saw as an engine of economic development. Architectural training in institutions of higher learning entails training of individuals to reason creatively through series of line drawings and ideas generation. This equips prospective students towards blending into the world of construction and contracts administration and without the basic knowledge or skills of engagement, it’s next to impossible surviving the competition. Further equipping the student with entrepreneurial skills makes him more versatile and thus become a Li-Id preneur (Lines-Ideas preneur) due to his training through lines drawings and ideas generation. This paper investigated the characteristics of the Li-Id preneurs of students in Covenant University, Nigeria. This was done by administering a well-structured questionnaire and interviews for proper conclusion on the subject matter from a cross section of students from final year in Architecture and Business Studies in 2016- 2017 academic sessions. The data collected was statistically analysed with SPSS software and it showed that it was imperative that entrepreneurial skills acquisition was key and fundamental towards business intelligence and making the student better equipped in all round skills acquisition. It also showed that while the Li-Id preneur had acquired skills in line drawings and ideas generation, having an alternative means of livelihood was a giant leap towards economic empowerment and national development. Also, the teaching of entrepreneurial skills should be part of the education curriculum during these formative years of the Li-Id preneur’s lif

ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TOWARDS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Vocational education is a vital tool for economic development. The Federal Government, in 2011, launched the Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC) which requires that all senior secondary school students be trained in one vocational subject. This study examines the attitudes of students and teachers towards vocational education in secondary schools in Ado-Odo Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. It aims to highlight the factors that affect and influence the attitudes of students and teachers towards vocational training as well as identify ways through which these attitudes can be improved. The study employs the use of questionnaires distributed to 200 students and 60 teachers in four secondary schools in Ado-Odo LGA. The results show that students and teachers recognize the importance of vocational education. The study recommends that students be provided with modern day equipment to encourage students’ engagement in vocational subjects. The curriculum for the teaching of vocational subjects should be comprehensive, standardized and enforced in all secondary schools to ensure that students acquire all the skills they need to practice the vocation(s). These will improve vocational education and the attainment of its goals in secondary schools. keywords: ogun state, nigeria, vocational education, attitude, curriculum