Attitudes of Technical and Vocational Education Students Towards Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) (A Case Study of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State)
Chapter One
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude of students towards SIWES in higher institutions. Specially, this study sought to find out the:
- Attitude of students towards SIWES in the higher institutions.
- Factors responsible for students’ attitude towards SIWES, and
- Attitudinal differences of male and female students’ towards SIWES.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter reviewed the literature related to the study under the following headings.
-Conceptual framework of the study
-Importance of the Students Industrial Work Experience.
-Responsibilities of the employer to the students on industrial training programme.
-Problem encounter by students on industrial training programme.
-Review of related empirical studies on the students’ industrial training programme.
-Summary of the Related Literature
SIWES: MEANING AND DEVELOPMENT
SIWES can also be called Industrial Placement, Work Placement, Cooperative Education, Industrial Training, and Work-Based learning (WBL). According to Horace M-Y, Kwok-wai and Long-Tim (2005), cooperative education is an instructional method that links classroom instruction and work for the purpose of enhancing the total educational programme of students. Johnson (2001) saw work-based learning as an independent learning through work. Raelin (2005) argued that workbased learning is defined differently from traditional classroom learning in that it is centred around reflection on work practice.
SIWES has grown from strength to strength in Nigeria. Students are paid allowances to motivate their involvement, and this is sponsored by Federal Government of Nigeria. According to ITF (2007) 59 universities, 85 polytechnics and 62 colleges of education are the beneficiaries of SIWES. The operators of SIWES are the ITF, the coordinating agencies which include: Nigerian Universities Commission, NUC, National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and National Certificate for Colleges of Education, NCCE, employers of labour and the institutions (ITF, 2007). Each operator has some roles to play to ensure the smooth running of the programme.
SIWES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Gomez, Lush and Clements (2004), demonstrated that students taking work placement exhibit improved academic performance in their final year of study. As Duignan (2003) puts it, it is not selfevident that work experience translates into enhanced academic performance but the transmission of mechanism. Dearing (1997) showed that work-based learning enhances academic performance, as the placed students exhibit great difference in their academic performance after the exposure. During the SIWES orientation organized in University of Benin, the University of Benin Industrial Training Scheme (UBITS) coordinator (in 2008) remarked that the academic performance of the final year engineering students of University of Benin is usually very poor after returning from SIWES. Kolb (1984) also demonstrated that the placement experience is totally different from experiments and cannot be replaced by laboratories.
SIWES AND EMPLOYMENT PROSPECT
Bowes and Harvey (2000) stated that students opting for work placement are better placed for employment when they graduate compared with students who lack the experience. Gomez, et al (2004) inferred that it is possible that the general perception that students with work experience have improved employment prospect might be linked to the beneficial effects of industrial placement on academic performance. To Blackwell, Bowes, Harvey, Hesketh and Knight (2001) students from sandwich courses had a higher employment rate.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
In this chapter, we would describe how the study was carried out.
Research design
Descriptive survey design was used to carry out the study .this is because a survey research focuses on people , the vital facts of people and their beliefs , options attitudes motivation and behavior [Osudu, 2005]
Sources of Data
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
Population of the study
A study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description (Udoyen, 2019). In this study the study population constitute of the final year students of faculties of Agriculture, Engineering, and the Department of Vocational and Technical Education. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample 250 students comprising 100 students of Faculty of Engineering, 120 students of Faculty of Agriculture and 30 students of the Department of Vocational and Technical Education from a total of 1,610 engineering students, 434 agriculture students and 250 vocational and technical education students in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS PRESENTATION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that SIWES experience helps the placed students to improve in their workshop/laboratory competencies. Thus they may perform better in their school laboratory as they were exposed to, even more sophisticated tools, and equipment. The findings of the study also showed that SIWES duration has implications on the depth of skills acquired by the students, and that its allowance stimulates students’ interest in partaking in the exercise.
SIWES exposure has enhanced students academic achievements as they might have been exposed to better ways of doing things. The study showed that students perceive the exposure as important for classroom learning. Allowance paid during SIWES encourages the students and also helped them to solve some academic expenditure. It may also be concluded that SIWES places the students to a better chance of gaining employment.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.
- SIWES should be properly organized so that students can be appropriately placed in organizations that are related to their course of study.
- Credit units should be attached to SIWES in every department undertaking the programme.
- Students should be properly and regularly supervised by both the industry-based and school supervisors during SIWES.
- SIWES allowances should be increased reasonably, and should be paid in two installments. The first half should be paid while the students are on the programme, and the second half should be paid immediately the students returned to their schools. The payment should not be delayed.
REFERENCES
- Blackwell, A., Bowes, L., Harvey, L, Hesketh, A. J. and Knight, P.T. (2001). Transforming Work Experience Higher Education. British Educational Research Journal, 27(3), 269-285.
- Bound, D. and Garrick, J. (1999), Understanding learning at Work. New York: Routledge
- Bowes, L. and Harvey, L. (2000). The Impact of Sandwich Education on the Activities of Graduates Months Post-graduation. London: National Centre for Work Experience and the Centre Research into Quality.
- Davies, L. (1990), Experience-based Learning Within the Curriculum, London: Council for National Acaden Awards.
- Dearing, R. (1997), The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education for the 21st Century.
- Duignan, J. (2003). Placement and Adding Value to the Academic Performance of Undergraduate Reconfiguring the Architecture- an empirical investigation. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 55(3), 335-350.
