Assessment of e-Learning Skills Need of Vocational Education Students in South-Eastern Universities, Nigeria

The purpose of the study was to identify e-learning skills needs of Vocational Education students in universities in Southeastern Nigeria. To elicit the pertinent information for the study, two research questions were answered on the students’ expressed performance and perceived level of importance attached on the e-learning skills. One null hypothesis was also formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire was face-validated by three experts. Data were collected from 273 respondents made up of Vocational Education students in Universities in five states in Southeastern Nigeria. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while correlated t-test statistic was used to test the null hypotheses. The study found that the expressed performance of students on the identified e-learning skills was poor and their perceived levels of importance of the skills were very high. Among others, the researchers recommended that, training should be organized for students on e-learning in the identified deficient areas to close the skills gap. Keywords: e-learning, Vocational Education Students, Skills needs, Universit

Enhancement of Critical Thinking Skills of Vocational and Adult Education Students for Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria

Business and occupations are becoming more reliant on cognitive-capacity of workers who are well grounded in critical thinking skills. This study is, therefore, focused on the enhancement of critical thinking skills of vocational and adult education students for entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Four hundred and eighteen lecturers in vocational and adult education programmes in universities in South-Eastern Nigeria made up the population for the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study while 32-item structured questionnaire and focus group discussion were used for data collection. The questionnaire was face-validated by experts. Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used to ascertain the internal consistency of the questionnaire which yielded a coefficient of 0.78. The data collected with the 418 copies of questionnaire administered and returned were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while t-test statistic was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. It was found that the ability to analyse, evaluate and challenge assumptions, information and opposing point of view are essential critical thinking skills required by students. The study also identified many strategies for enhancing critical thinking skills of students to include: debate and group discussion; solving numerical problems and puzzles, among others. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers recommended that capacity-building programmes should be organized regularly for lecturers for them to teach students critical thinking skills effectively. Key words: Entrepreneurship, Critical Thinking Skills, Education, Vocational and Adult Education

Effect of Flipped Classroom on Learning Management Systems and Face-to-Face Learning Environments on Students\u27 Gender, Interest and Achievement in Accounting

There are several factors that influence students learning and academic achievement. Some of the factors include motivation, interest, learning environment, level of student-student, teacher-student interaction and collaboration nature of assessment processes and feedback etc. However, literature has revealed that students’ interest and academic achievement can be improved if modern technology is integrated into teaching and learning process. The major purpose of this study is to determine the effects of flipped classroom model on learning management systems (LMS) and f2f learning environments on students\u27 achievement and interest in accounting. The design of the study is quasi-experimental. The study used intact classes with non-equivalent groups. The population for the study consists of 168 first-year undergraduate students of the Department of Business Education comprising of 76 males and 92 females from the two public universities selected for the study. The instruments for data collection was Elements of Accounting Achievement Test (EAAT) and Interest Inventory Questionnaire (IIQ). The reliability of the instrument was calculated using K-R 20 and reliability index was 0.79 obtained. Data collected for both pretest and posttest were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while three null hypotheses that guided the study were test at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results of the study showed that flipped classroom on LMS model is more effective than the conventional f2f method in improving students\u27 interest and academic achievement in Elements of Accounting. In addition, the findings revealed higher mean achievement among students taught Elements of Accounting using flipped classroom on LMS model when compared with those taught with f2f method. The researchers therefore inferred that flipped classroom on LMS model is more effective than the f2f method in improving students\u27 interest and academic achievement in Elements of Accounting in Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommended that universities and other tertiary institutions should implement the use of flipped classroom model on LMS in teaching and learning process particularly on introductory accounting courses like Elements of Accounting. Again, the Ministry of Education empowered by the federal and state government should make adequate provisions for ICT facilities, online resources, and internet connections in all the public universities to support flipped classroom model on LMS

The Strategies Required for Improving the Teaching of Cost Accounting in Colleges of Education in South-East, Nigeria

The study determined the strategies for improving the teaching of cost accounting in Colleges of Education in South East Nigeria. Five research questions guided the study, while five null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population for this study was 123 comprising of 53 accounting lecturers from 3 federal universities and 70 accounting lecturers from state universities. The instrument for data collection was a structured 100-item questionnaire. The instrument was face-validated by 3 experts from the Department of Business Education, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument and an overall reliability index of 0.83 was obtained. The researcher with the help of five research assistants facilitated the process of data collection for the study. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for answering the research questions while t-test analysis were used for testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that the teaching of cost accounting in the Colleges of Education in South East Nigeria can be improved using good instructional planning, careful selection of instructional resources among others. Hypotheses tested revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean responses of the accounting lecturers. It was recommended among others that the government through the ministry of education should organize regular workshops, seminars and on-the-job trainings on capacity building for accounting lecturers to equip them with modern accounting knowledge, skills and technique

TECHNOLOGY TRAINING NEEDS OF WOMEN FARMERS FOR ENHANCING VALUE CHANGE IN MARKETING OF FARM PRODUCTS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Women farmers in agrarian communities of Enugu State could not market their farm products profitably because they could not involve electronic technology. Whatever they produced are sold to consumer intermediaries at the farm gate. Some are sold to open market in small bites at low cost hence they remain poor. This poverty lingers on because those women farmers could not involve technologies in the sale of their products beyond their communities and among competing producers been exploited by middlemen. If technology is involved in the marketing of their products their goods will extend inform of exports to other states and beyond with higher value claim; but to obtain the change in their profits margin they require training in the use of technology in marketing their farm products. This study, therefore, focused on the identification of technology training needs of women farmers in the use of cell phone, computer, and internet for enhancing profit for marketing their farm products. Four research questions guided the study while four hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted action group design supported by the function of the industry model. The population of the study was 80 composed of 33 high tech (electronic) bankers, 14 Lecturers of Business Education and 33 Lecturers of Computer Science. Cluster sampling was involved in selecting Uzo-Uwani, Igbo Etiti and Nsukka Local Government Areas for the study in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State while purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents with certain criteria involving those that are relevant to the study among the population. The instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire developed from the literature and function of the industry. Three experts validated the instrument: one from the Department of Computer Science, one from the bank and another one from the Department of Measurement and Evaluation competent in instrument development or assessment while Cronbach alpha reliability method was used to ascertain the internal consistency of the questionnaire items and coefficient of 0.82 was obtained. Weighted mean was used to answer the research questions; standard deviation was used to determine the spread of the respondents from the mean and one another in their responses; analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypothesis of no significant difference at 0.05 level of significance. The study found out that 16 items on the essential basic knowledge, 22 items on the computer/electronic operation, 17 items on the e-marketing and 21 items on the training procedure were found needed for training the women farmers. The study found out that there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of essential basic knowledge, computer operation, e-marketing and training procedure of the three groups of the respondents on the items. It is therefore recommended that the identified items in essential knowledge and skills, mobile phone operation, e-marketing (advertising, bargaining and supply), and training procedures should be involved in training the women farmers in the marketing of farm products for higher value claim while the trainers should use the identified procedures with the support facilities from affected Local Governments for the same purpose. JEL: M30; M31; Q12; Q1

Effect of Flipped Classroom on Learning Management Systems and Face-to-Face Learning Environments on Students\u27 Gender, Interest and Achievement in Accounting

There are several factors that influence students learning and academic achievement. Some of the factors include motivation, interest, learning environment, level of student-student, teacher-student interaction and collaboration nature of assessment processes and feedback etc. However, literature has revealed that students’ interest and academic achievement can be improved if modern technology is integrated into teaching and learning process. The major purpose of this study is to determine the effects of flipped classroom model on learning management systems (LMS) and f2f learning environments on students\u27 achievement and interest in accounting. The design of the study is quasi-experimental. The study used intact classes with non-equivalent groups. The population for the study consists of 168 first-year undergraduate students of the Department of Business Education comprising of 76 males and 92 females from the two public universities selected for the study. The instruments for data collection was Elements of Accounting Achievement Test (EAAT) and Interest Inventory Questionnaire (IIQ). The reliability of the instrument was calculated using K-R 20 and reliability index was 0.79 obtained. Data collected for both pretest and posttest were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while three null hypotheses that guided the study were test at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results of the study showed that flipped classroom on LMS model is more effective than the conventional f2f method in improving students\u27 interest and academic achievement in Elements of Accounting. In addition, the findings revealed higher mean achievement among students taught Elements of Accounting using flipped classroom on LMS model when compared with those taught with f2f method. The researchers therefore inferred that flipped classroom on LMS model is more effective than the f2f method in improving students\u27 interest and academic achievement in Elements of Accounting in Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommended that universities and other tertiary institutions should implement the use of flipped classroom model on LMS in teaching and learning process particularly on introductory accounting courses like Elements of Accounting. Again, the Ministry of Education empowered by the federal and state government should make adequate provisions for ICT facilities, online resources, and internet connections in all the public universities to support flipped classroom model on LMS

The Strategies Required for Improving the Teaching of Cost Accounting in Colleges of Education in South-East, Nigeria

The study determined the strategies for improving the teaching of cost accounting in Colleges of Education in South East Nigeria. Five research questions guided the study, while five null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population for this study was 123 comprising of 53 accounting lecturers from 3 federal universities and 70 accounting lecturers from state universities. The instrument for data collection was a structured 100-item questionnaire. The instrument was face-validated by 3 experts from the Department of Business Education, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument and an overall reliability index of 0.83 was obtained. The researcher with the help of five research assistants facilitated the process of data collection for the study. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for answering the research questions while t-test analysis were used for testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that the teaching of cost accounting in the Colleges of Education in South East Nigeria can be improved using good instructional planning, careful selection of instructional resources among others. Hypotheses tested revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean responses of the accounting lecturers. It was recommended among others that the government through the ministry of education should organize regular workshops, seminars and on-the-job trainings on capacity building for accounting lecturers to equip them with modern accounting knowledge, skills and technique

Using Guided Discovery to Improve Students’ Retention and Academic Attitudes to Financial Accounting Concepts

Financial Accounting is one of the specialised subjects in the Nigerian senior secondary school curriculum. It is no gain saying that without apposite comprehension of the subject, the goals of its inclusion in the curriculum might not be fully accomplished. Hence, the researchers are in quest of appropriate instructional strategies that entail students’ active participation and improve students’ learning outcomes (attitude and retention) through practice-oriented research. Consequently, this research determined the effectiveness of guided discovery instructional strategy, in relation to a conventional lecture, on learning outcomes of students in Financial Accounting concepts. This study adopted a nonrandomized pretest, posttest, control group quasiexperimental design with a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial design. 147 secondary school students in level 5 were selected from eight secondary schools in the northern part of a Southwestern state, Nigeria. The research instruments used were Teachers’ Instructional Guides on Guided Discovery, Students’ Attitude to Financial Accounting Questionnaire (r = 0.89) and a 30-item Financial Accounting Retention Test (r = 0.83). The analyzed data affirmed that the treatment improved students’ attitude (F(1,134) = 344.935; p<0.05; η2 = 0.720) and retention (F(1,134) = 385.431; p<0.05; η2 = 0.742) of accounting concepts. This study recommended that teachers should utilize the guided discovery strategy to develop attitudes and knowledge retention of learners in Financial Accounting

Extending the Technology Acceptance Model in the Impact of Vocational Educators' Gender, Experience and Perception

The study considered extending the technology acceptance model in learning-management-systems in TVET: The impact of vocational educators’ gender, experience and perception. A mixed research design was adopted for this study with 1314 TVET educators as the population. A sample of 386 respondents comprising of 234 and 152 vocational educators from federal and state institutions were selected based on Taro Yamene’s formula afterwards, proportionate sampling technique was used to determine the number of the vocational educators for each institution. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: “TVET Educators Experience and Perception of LMS Questionnaire” (TEEPLMSQ). The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha which yielded reliability indices of (α = .761); (α = .816), (α = .832) with a high grand coefficient of 0.80 for vocational educators’ perception, LMS skills possessed and barriers militating against LMS use respectively. Data collected were analyzed using bivariate correlation, regression, and also path analysis through 5000 re-samples bias-corrected (BC) bootstrapping method, as well as confirmatory factor analysis. The result of the study revealed that vocational educators in Enugu and Anambra States of Nigeria perceived LMS as a credible ICT tool that supports the teaching of TVET courses and enhances the transfer of TVET skills to TVET students. The path analytical results revealed that lecturers’ characteristic (experience) has full mediation effects between the LMS skills possessed and level of LMS usage. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that The TVET educators should adopt LMS in teaching and learning of TVET courses in Nigerian tertiary institutions