Improvement Needs of Practical Skills Acquisition in Kano State Technical Colleges

Improvement Needs of Practical Skills Acquisition in Kano State Technical Colleges

CHAPTER ONE

Objectives of Study

The general purpose of this study is to determine the improvement needs in practical skills in technical colleges. Specifically, the study will determine the:

Improvement needs to improve practical skills in frame construction.
Improvement needs to improve practical skills in carcase construction.
Improvement needs to improve practical skills in stool construction.
Improvement needs by technology teachers for effective use and maintenance of modern tools and equipment for improving practical skills in technical colleges.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual Framework

Technical college is one of the institutions that provide basic knowledge, skills acquisition in preparation for higher education and for self-employment. Technical college offers courses in technical areas among which is technology. This trade requires technical skills from students for good performance in woodwork practical skills such as frame construction, carcase construction, stool construction and skills in the use and maintenance of modern tools and equipment.

Practical project is a process of transforming theoretical knowledge into real work situation which usually takes place in the wood workshops under the guidance and supervision of the teacher/instructor. At the end of the training, the programme is expected to produce woodwork technologist, technician or craftsman that will facilitate the production of the industries for the benefit of the society at large.

Skill Development

Practical skill acquisition is the major focus of Technical College programmes. However education at this level is generally referred to as vocation. The major purpose of vocational education is not to give certificate only, but to train skill workers who can actually function in their respective place of work. Vocational education programmes at the technical college level is designed to prepare an individual to acquire practical skills, basic and scientific knowledge and attitudes required as craftsmen and technician at sub-professional level (NPE, 1998). The success of any plan to prepare students for the above occupation demands depends upon ability of the educational programs in our technical colleges to be responsive to both the student employability skill development needs and prospective employers skills requirements.

Okorie (2000) observed that the current investment programmes in various sectors of the Nigerian economy have major implication for work force development, as there is rise in demand for skilled personnel. It is no doubt therefore, that if Nigeria is to benefit fully from modern era of technological skill development and practices, our technical colleges skill development programmes must deliberately and adequately create and provide workplacelike learning environment, communicate employer-like expectations for basic skill application,, functionality, dependability, thoroughness, decision-making capability, cooperation etc, provide students opportunities to practice and perfect these skills and traits. This will in turn, enhance the desirable employability qualities of skills development related to self-confidence and general self-esteem to make the trainees fit for employment in the current changing complex world of work that demands employees to be creative, flexible and possess good interpersonal and managerial skills. This implies that skill development can be accomplished through work experience, education in the school workshops and laboratories. What is vital is to build a better means of integrating academic education, skill training and work experience.

The development of skills varies with the nature complexity and the type of activity. People who opt for skill development should among other things, possess abilities, interest, aptitudes, patience, personality and other human or physical qualities that will enable them succeed in it. It is commonly misconceived that the development of skill requires low brains. In deed most skill development activities present great challenges to the learner on the integration of the practical work, theoretical fields, common sense, good power observation and courage (Egbita, 2006).

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Design of the Study

Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Gall, Gall and Borg (2007) described descriptive survey research as a method of data collection using questionnaire or interview to collect data from a sample that has been selected to represent a population to which the findings of the data analysis can be generalized. This research design is appropriate for this study because it will allow the respondents to put down their views and opinions on the improvement needs in practical skills in technical colleges using questionnaire.

Population for the Study

The population for the study is 112 which comprise all the 37 Technology teachers in the state technical colleges and 75 registered industrial supervisors from 72 registered woodwork industries in Kano state.

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Mean and standard deviation tables were used in the presentation while the null hypotheses were tested with t-test.

Research Question 1

What are the improvement needs by wood work technology teachers to improve practical skills in frame construction?

Data for answering this research question are presented in Table 1.

The table also indicated that each value of standard deviation is below 1.96 which implies that the respondents were not too far from the mean and from the opinion of one another in their responses.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Procedures Used

The study adopted a descriptive survey design with the use of questionnaire to elicit information from the respondents. The total population used for this study was 112, comprising 37 technology teachers and 75 registered supervisors from woodwork industries in Kano state.

The instrument for data collection was questionnaire. The instrument sought information to determine the improvement needs in practical skills in technical colleges in Kano state The instrument was validated and the reliability tested using test-retest method. The instrument was administered and retrieved personally by the researcher with the help of four trained research assistants.

All the 112 copies administered on the respondents in technical colleges in the two States were returned showing 100% return rate. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation.

Major Findings

It was found out that four sections of skills items 76 out of 78 were improvement needs by woodwork work technology teachers for improving practical skills in technical colleges in Kano state. They are:

Section A: Improvement needs in practical skills in frame construction with 18 out of 20 skills items required. The two skills not required based on the analysis are, coordinating the constructional steps in the activities of frame construction and preparing pieces of wood members to the required length, widths and thickness for framing joints.

It was found from this section that use of correct operational procedures in frame construction is required to construct practical skills in frame construction.
Adoption of correct symbol and standard marks for a given project work will reduce wastage which is highly required.
The transfer of technical knowledge and practical skills to real job situation is highly required to improve practical skills.
Design and making of cutting list would guide the details of the frame construction.
It was found that to meet the demand of the labour market; carcase should be constructed with suitable materials.
Box or angle joints are the most appropriate joints for solid end carcase and can improve the construction of practical skills.
The use of appropriate cutting, boring and driving tools in carcase construction would make the practical skills to be stable.
It was found that functional projects should be established that replicate industrial setting in carcase construction for improving practical skills.
It was found form the finding that for improving practical skills, there should be tolerance with new work initiatives to achieve organizational goals in stool construction.
Ability to interpret job designs and drawings without errors is the most important aspect of stool construction in woodwork practical skills.

Conclusion

The National curriculum for technical colleges specified the objectives of the technical colleges which include preparation for useful living within the society and preparation for higher education. This implies, enabling woodwork students acquire basic knowledge and practical skills in technology and prepare them for occupations in industries among others. These objectives have not been achieved because the broad nature of the curriculum in wood construction does not specify the basic knowledge and skills in stepby-step procedure for the woodwork teachers to use in teaching the student.

For the objectives to be achieved there is the need to improve the curriculum to reflect on the basic knowledge and skills needed by students in the area of wood work technology. To make an input in this direction the study identified the improvement needs in practical skills in technical colleges in Kano state.

Implications of the Study

The finding of the study has the following implications:

If the skills identified by the study is acquired by technology teachers in technical colleges, they could integrate them into their programme for use in teaching the students the skills in woodwork constructions and if the skills identified by the study is integrated into the curriculum of technology in technical schools, it could provide the step-by-step activities necessary for acquiring skills in woodwork constructions. This can enhance students’ mastery of the competencies thereby preparing them well for entry into the occupation on graduation. Also if the Kano state government could package the identified skills in into workshop materials, and organize workshop on them for technology teachers, it may help to improve their practical performance.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:

The National Curriculum for technical colleges should integrate the identified improvement needs in practical skills in technical colleges into the curriculum of technology in technical colleges and ensure that the NABTEB integrate them in their syllabuses to serve as guide for technology teachers.
The Kano state governments should package the identified competency items in improvement needs in practical skills in technical colleges into workshop materials and organize workshop on them for the benefit of wood work technology teachers.
Government should organize seminars and workshops for technology teachers to update their knowledge and skills for improving practical skills in technical colleges.
In-service training should be made available for technology teachers to further their education in order to keep up with skills changing technology in the society.
Modern tools and equipment should be adequately supplied and maintained regularly for improving practical skills in technology in technical colleges.

References

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Retrieved on January 22, 2013 from http://www.answer.com/topi/technology

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