Technical education in Nigerian Universities: do students’ perception of the programme changes over time?

Auta, Mohammed Adamu

Abstract

This study determined whether undergraduate technical education students’ perception of the programme changes over time. Qualitative design approach was adopted. The population for this study was 174. However, due to the peculiar nature qualitative study, a total of 10 final year undergraduate technical education students drawn from the five Universities offering technical education programme participated in the study. Interview was used as instrument for data collection. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Member checking was used to establish the validity and reliability of the result. Findings from the study indicated that students’ perception of technical education in Nigeria universities relative to the knowledge of the programme prior to admission, the nexus between the programme and engineering/other related environmental courses and job prospect open to them after graduation changes as they advanced in the programme. It can therefore be concluded that vocational guidance and counselling services being rendered to secondary school leavers have not been effective and should be enhanced. Keywords: Technical Education, Students, Perception, Universities

References

Auta, M. A. (2016). Stakeholders’ perception of adequacy of technology education programme in Nigerian universities for acquisition of requisite employable skills by students. NAU Journal of Technology and Vocational Education 1(1), 131-141.

Auta, M. A. (2017). Adequacy of Technology Education programmes in Nigerian Universities in compliance with the benchmark for academic standards (BMAS). Journal of Educational System 1(1), 1-5.

Auta, M. A. and Onwusuru, I. M. (2022). TVET graduates employability for construction industry: A mixed method study. Online Journal of TVET Practitioners, 7(1), 85-94.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. SAGE.

Dawson, C. (2009). Introduction to research methods. How to Books Ltd

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013). National Policy on Education, 6th edition. NERDC Press.

Gonzales, L., Brown, M. S. and Slate, J. R. (2008). Teachers who left the teaching professions: a qualitative understanding. The Qualitative Report, 13(1), 1–11.

Hammersley, M. (2013) What Is Qualitative Research? Bloomsbury Academic.

James, K. Andrew, D., Wilson, K. (2019). The Perceptions of Secondary School Students towards Vocational Education: A Case Study of Kampala District. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 3(6), 100-112.

Kareem, W. B., Maaji, S. A. & Mohammed, B. M. (2016). Perception of Technical College Students on Woodwork Technology for Self-Empowerment in Niger State. Nigeria. ATBU, Journal of Science, Technology & Education (JOSTE), 4(1), 40-49.

Kavin, R; Anbumani, S; Rameshkumar, R & Syed Zabiyullah,G. (2014). The Development of Engineering and Technical Education in India. International Journal of Advanced Technology in Engineering and Science. 2(11), 151-155.

Leanne, D. T., Nola, A. and Karen, W. (2008). Secondary school students’ perceptions of, and the factors influencing their decision making in relation to, VET in schools. The Australian Educational Researcher, 35(2), 55-69.

Olajide, S. E. (2015). Repositioning technical and vocational education eradicating unemployment in Nigeria. International Journal of Vocational and Technical Education, 7(6), 54-63.

Sandelowski, M. (1995). Focus on quantitative methods: Sample sizes, in qualitative research. Research in Nursing and Health, 18, 179-183.

St. Gean, L. M. (2010). High school students' perception of career technical education and factors that influence enrollment in programs at a regional occupational center. Unpublished D.Ed Dissertation Pepperdine University

Triventi, M. (2013). The role of higher education stratification in the reproduction of social inequality in the labor market. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 32, 45-63