ROLES OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN IMPROVING QUALITY OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRAINING

The application of new and effective teaching aids is one of the major challenges facing the whole education system in Nigeria and for technical and vocational education training programme in particular. Quality of education in Nigeria has occupied the minds of many Nigerians as the issue has formed the main themes of many national conferences and workshops in recent times. With the recent emphasis on Information and Communication Technology, it’s a great measure for improving the quality of Technical and Vocational Education in Nigeria. Access to information communication technology has the potential to change the falling standard of education in Nigeria; however, the potential will not be realized unless stakeholders ensure that technical and vocational education teachers and students have access to instructional materials and information communication technology that promises positive academic and career outcomes. Today, technology has become essential in almost every educational, employment, community and recreational environment. This paper therefore, discussed the roles of instructional materials and information communication technology in improving quality of technical and vocational education training programme in Nigeria. Some of the roles include; motivation of teachers and students, adding interest, reducing boredom, making teaching and learning more realistic and meaningful etc. The paper stressed that for information communication technology and instructional materials to play useful roles, they must be available and effectively utilized in schools. It concluded by making practical recommendations. Keywords: Technical Education, Vocational Education, Information Communication                                    Technology, Instructional Material

Entrepreneurship Development through Vocational Education Training: Issues and Roles in Skills Acquisition and Manpower Development in a Developing Economy

Institutions all over the world are being asked to organize their students for the jobs of tomorrow, make them to be creative, responsible citizens, contribute to economic growth and development of their nations and vocational education training has an important role to play in this process. The multidisciplinary nature of vocational education training and its evidently close links to the world of work make it one of the aspects of education that contribute most to the training of skilled labour and give both young people and adults the knowledge required to ply a trade. For many, it is a passport to employment and an opportunity for social development.  However, this aspect of education, which supports entrepreneurship development, is facing many challenges to prepare a sufficient number of people with the right skills to meet the labour market demands. This paper therefore, presents entrepreneurship development through vocational education training. It also presented its roles in skills acquisition, manpower development in a developing economy. It discussed the concepts of skills acquisition, and manpower development. The paper also identified the manor challenges facing vocational education training, which also affects entrepreneurship development and concludes by suggesting way forward. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Development, Skills Acquisition, Manpower Developmen

COUNSELING NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY OF TECHNICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS: AN EBONYI STATE STUDY

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Factors Affecting Students’ Performance on Basic Technology Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination

This study was designed to identify factors affecting students’ performance in basic technology Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination in. Four research questions were raised to guide the study. The population of the study consisted of three thousand one hundred and twenty six (3126) basic technology teachers and students. A sample of three hundred (300) was selected through random sampling.  The instrument used for data collection was structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using mean. Findings among others revealed that students has low interest in studying basic technology, teachers’ methods of teaching also effect students’ performance, insufficient number of qualified staff, poor training materials, poor administration and supervision of schools affects students’ performance in basic technology. Based on the findings of the study, some practical recommendations were made.   Keywords: Basic Technology, Technology Education, Students’ Performances, Nigeri

Room for improvement – A study of overconfidence in numerical skills among British graduates

The experiment tested overconfidence in number skills among graduates and non-graduates. The data was collected at a residential management training programme for part-time professional students. Half had a degree and half did not. In the light of increasing research evidence about employers’ dissatisfaction with graduates’ basic skills, we set out to test whether graduate professionals overstated their numerical abilities compared to non-graduates. The experiment, conducted using E-prime, showed a significant interaction between level of qualification and overstatement of numerical abilities. The results support the hypotheses and showed that graduates rated themselves higher than actual abilities. Graduates’ performance in the test was not consistent with their confidence estimates. The findings are significant for rethinking higher education curricula which are currently under pressure to align with the needs of the economy. We advocate more inclusive and interpretive research for greater understanding of the issues to offer useful policy data and help higher education institutions (HEIs) prepare graduates for an ever dynamic workplace and decision-making. However, few experiments have tested the numeracy level of graduates to corroborate the narrative coming from the employers. This study, despite the limited sample, is a first attempt and can be a reference for future wider studies

Towards A Responsible Entrepreneurship Education and the Future of the Workforce

Highlights • PRME provides a Compass for universities to embed responsible education. • Limited information is available on the stream of African Entrepreneurship education. • Many universities are ill-equipped to develop adequate skills required for the modern job market. • This study is based on the Curricular, Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Learning Pipeline Model. Abstract This article explores how entrepreneurship education (EE) could be adopted towards improving graduate’s skills and preparing the future workforce. It adopts interviews with 30 experienced higher education academics, executives of employment and work placement agencies in Nigeria that reveals substantial benefits of adopting entrepreneurial pedagogics, critical thinking and problem-based learning (PBL). The critical question is how can EE practices be utilised in higher education to improve future workforce? Linked to the UN Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME), this study is based on the model of curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular learning pipeline that focuses on ‘learning in the curriculum’ and ‘learning beyond the curriculum’. The model somehow links to the six domains that formed our analytical model – knowledge and cognitive learning, innovation in teaching pedagogy, change in thinking, change in attitudes, social learning and change in action

Improving graduate outcomes for Technical Colleges in Nigeria

This study examined key issues affecting the effective management of carpentry and joinery workshops for improving the quality of graduates of Technical Colleges (TCs) in Nigeria. Drawing upon data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 27 TC teachers and 13 craft trainers, plus a focus group, this study adopts a mixed methods approach. The survey was conducted in TCs in Enugu and Ebonyi States of eastern Nigeria; hence, this study cuts across single geographical boundaries. The patterns of responses among respondents suggested that poor student academic performance result from lack of equipment, funding, and support for TCs by the government, whereas effective management of workshops promoted learning and student discipline. The study addressed issues for how workshop success can be promoted

Improvement Needs of Nigerian Technical College Teachers in Teaching Vocational and Technical Subjects

This study examined key areas the Nigerian technical college (TC) teachers need improvements to effectively teach vocational and technical subjects to foster skills acquisition and improve the quality of graduates. The study was conducted in nine TCs in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. It adopted a mixed methods approach and data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 87 TC teachers and two focus groups with 14 of the teachers. The quantitative data were analyzed using simple percentages, while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The patterns of responses among respondents suggested that technical teachers (TTs) need improvements in instructional planning, TCs workshop management, student management, facilities and equipment management for effective teaching of vocational and technical subjects, and for increased learners’ experience to acquire relevant skills to be either paid or self-employed