ABSTRACT
This study investigated electronics works competencies required by electronics teachers for effective teaching in technical colleges in Osun and Oyo states. A survey research design was used for the study. A 60-item questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection and three experts validated the instruments. A reliability coefficient of 0.879 was obtained and 49 electronics teachers were used. Four objectives were stated, research questions asked, and hypotheses formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions and the t-test statistic was used to test the hypothesis. The findings revealed that electronics teachers in technical colleges required competencies for effective teaching in the soldering and de-soldering techniques, fault and repair diagnosis techniques in television and radio sets, troubleshooting electronic circuits, testing devices and cards with measuring instruments among others and the result of the null hypothesis shows that there is no significant difference between the mean responses of experienced and less experienced electronic teachers in technical colleges on competencies required to teach electronic devices, electronic circuits, radio communication and television system. This study implies that demonstration method is appropriate method of teaching competencies in electronics works in technical colleges and if competencies identified in this study are used by the teachers, it will help the students to be self reliant when they graduate. The researcher offers recommendations that the government should provide in-service training programmes for electronic teachers, adequate materials and tools for electronic teachers and that competencies should not be used for evaluating electronic teacher for layoffs.
x
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Electronics has brought innovations in technology especially in teaching and learning. It has helped to improve the use of equipment by making it digitalized and automatic. It makes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) versatile and increases its use as catalysts and tools for effective teaching.
Electronics is defined by Fred, George and Steber (2009) as the field of engineering and applied physics which deals with the design and application of devices, usually electronic circuits, the operation of which depends on the flow of electrons for the generation, transmission, reception, and storage of information. Theraja (2010) further explained that electronics is the process of applying scientific knowledge in the design, selection of materials, construction, operation and maintenance of electronics devices and equipments. Electronics can therefore be described as a process of application of electric current which is the flow of electrical charges to circuits in order to accomplish specific task. This circuit consists of different components which form the devices used in electronics works.
Electronics works is one of the courses in engineering trades offered in Nigeria’s technical colleges in which at the completion of three years or one year advanced programme, the graduates are awarded National Technical Certificate (NTC) and Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC) for the craft level and advanced level respectively (Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), 2004). The programme for electronics works in Nigeria technical colleges is designed to produce competent craftsmen and technicians, who could be employable, self reliant or and able to proceed to higher education. According to National
Board for Technical Education (NBTE 2001), a craftsman in electronics works is expected to
1
test, diagnose, service and completely repairs any fault relating to electronic units and systems to the manufacturers’ specifications. The various sections in electronics works include electronic circuits, electronic devices, radio communication and television system.
In the opinion of Raymond (2008) electronic circuit is a continuous path composed of devices and including a source of electromotive force that drives the current around the circuit. Robert and Louis (2002) also viewed electronic circuit as a structure that directs and controls electric currents, presumably to perform some useful functions. The very name “circuit” according to Naeem (2009) implies that the structure is closed or looped. Therefore, electronic circuit is a connection of various devices of an electric network forming a closed path and is powered by an energy source. The closed path is commonly termed as either loop or mesh. It is this electronic mesh that the students use in calculating appropriate value required for voltage and current when connecting the desired electronic devices.
Electronic devices are resistors, inductors, capacitors and sources among others, in which electric charges can move and bring a change in the characteristics of the charge. Robert and Louis (2002) defined electronic devices to include passive elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors and active elements such as generators, batteries, operational amplifiers, transistors and integrated circuits. If a circuit element is capable of intensify signal, it is said to be active; otherwise, it is said to be passive. Electronics technical teachers are expected to teach their students to identify passive and active devices and use them to carry out design and construct simple projects in electronics works such as amplifier circuit, power circuit and radio communication circuit (NBTE, 2004).
Radio communication in the view of Gulathi (2009) employs electromagnetic waves propagated through space. Jensen (2000) explained radio as a general term applied to the use of radio waves or Hertzian waves which are electromagnetic waves of frequencies arbitrarily lower than 300GHz. It is propagated in space without artificial guide, common wireless
applications such as AM broadcast, television broadcast, FM broadcast, cell phones, wireless computer network and satellite television utilize below 10GHz frequencies. Radio and television sets are also used for providing information and entertainment to the public in virtually every nation in the world.
Teachers of radio communication and television system in technical colleges are to provide the students with knowledge and skills that would enable their graduates undertake repairs with proficiency in radio and communication equipment and create awareness about the basic principle of modulation and demodulation (NBTE, 2001). Radio communication, electronic devices and circuits have minimum standard level of curriculum sets by NBTE in electronics works, thus they may not be achieved in technical colleges as a result of the ineffectiveness in the teaching and learning of electronics works within the study area.
It was also reported in the National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) examination conducted in radio communication, television and electronics devices in May/June, 2002 that the board recorded a 30% failure rate in radio communication, a 60% failure rate in television system, and a 27% failure in electronics devices and circuits (NABTEB, 2002).. This poor performance of students in the study areas might have occurred as a result of ineffective teaching which shows the level of incompetency of the teachers in the technical colleges.
According to Perrot (2012), effective teaching is a mode that produces inquiring, considering and seeking out at the correct results and ability in teaching. Batten, Marland and Khamis (2003) also defined effective teaching as one that produces demonstrable results in terms of the cognitive and affective development of the college students. Effective teaching involves having a sound understanding of how and why certain activities lead to learning, and what factors influence their effectiveness. Teachers make use of a whole range of teaching skills to make sure learning occurs effectively. One of the key features of effective teaching is
the use of a diversity of approaches that enables the teacher to elicit and sustain pupils’ interest and involvement in their learning. Much effective teaching involves allowing college students to be more active and to have greater control over the direction and pace of the learning experience (Brophy & Good, 2006).
Effective teachers according to Bush and Kincer (2009) use techniques that best serve the learning needs of their students, help students learn on their own as well as with and from others. Effective teachers closely monitor each student’s achievements and teach in a way that encourages students to take greater responsibility for their own learning. They make sure their students know what the goals of the learning program are; understand how these goals will be assessed; know whether they are on track to achieve success; and are actively involved in evaluating their own learning. Effective teachers in the opinion of Killen (2008), have a thorough knowledge of their subject content and skills. Through this, they inspire in their students a love of learning. They also understand how college students’ best learn concepts, content and skills. Effective teachers use their knowledge of learning processes to determine which will be most effective to help the particular students in their classes to learn successfully.
Balon (2010) is of the view that an effective teacher can be valuable for the students, the society, and the country. This is because of the fact that such a teacher educates and teaches the future generation, on whom the future of the society and the nation depends. Teaching according to Obi (2005) involves guiding students to learn. And this guidance depends on teachers’ experience. Mayer, Mullens and Moore (2000) asserted that length of teaching experience is very important in teaching.
Berryman (2002) analysed the effect of experience on teacher competence and found out that there is no significant difference between the experienced and less experienced teachers. But experienced teachers tend to be more analytical, more aware of complexity and
have more enriched conceptual collection regarding teaching than less experienced teachers (Dunkin, 2002). Therefore in this project while considering the view of Yusuf and Balogun (2011), experienced electronics teacher is a teacher who has been teaching electronics works in the technical college for a period of 6 years or more and less experienced teacher is a teacher who has been teaching electronics works in the technical college for less than 6 years.
Electronics teacher in technical colleges in the opinion of Ingersoll (2003) could be regarded as a professional person who imparts practical skills and knowledge in the field of electronics works to prepare learners for the world of work. Thiam (2001) described electronics works teachers of technical colleges as the persons that possess the necessary technological knowledge and practical skills in electronics works. Electronics work trade is taught by electronic teachers (Okoro, 2006). Electronics teachers are trained in colleges of education (technical), polytechnics and universities. Such teachers in technical colleges are trained in order to teach electronics works competently.
Technical colleges according to Okorie (2001) are the institutions where craftsmen are trained to the craft level and awarded NABTEB certificate. The aim of technical college is to produce graduates with competent skills which could be put into practice to enable them become self reliant. In technical colleges, technical teachers give training on various disciplines such as electronics works, building technology, wood work technology, metal work technology, to mention a few. These disciplines are also called trade subjects. Trade subjects are unique subjects because they are skill oriented and required a level of competency.
Competency is a combination of skills and knowledge needed to perform a specific task in a given context (Jones, Voorhees and Paulson, 2002). Marija and Palmira (2007) also described competency as ability to do something well, measured against a standard especially ability acquired through experience or training. Competency involves skills and attitudes that
are observable, measurable and necessary to perform a job independently at a prescribed proficiency level (Sefyrin, 2005). To be competent means to possess adequate skills in order to carry out something to an acceptable standard.
In other words, a competent electronics teacher should posses the skill and knowledge required to effectively teach electronics works in order to set a workshop or repair after the completion of the technical college programme. Also, these competencies will ensure maintenance and repairs of electronic devices, components and radio communication as well as provide instructions on career preparation in order to adequately prepare students for admission into higher learning. This study therefore investigating teachers with experienced and less experienced with the view to determine those that could effectively teach and produce electronics works competent students in Osun and Oyo states.
Osun and Oyo state are one of the states in Nigeria appear to be having electronics dump sites. It is not surprising however when Abel and Afolabi, (2007) reported that Ile-Ife in Osun state has 0.46Kg/person/day of electronics waste, Ibadan in Oyo state has
0.71Kg/person/day and about 55, 200Kg per day of electronics wastes were estimated to be generated in the traditional city of Oyo in Oyo state which indicate that most electronics works graduates are not involved in the repairs and maintenance of electronic equipment and tools within the two states thereby making the people of Osun and Oyo state throw away their electronics goods and thereby become a serious problem to the people within the study areas. This situation necessitated this study which investigates electronics works competencies required by electronics teachers for effective teaching in technical colleges in Osun and Oyo states.
Therefore, there is need for teachers in technical colleges to have competency in electronics works so as to impart adequate and quality knowledge to the electronic college students. Unless electronics teachers possess required competencies to effectively teach
students’ electronics works, the problem of technical college graduates not having the ability to be self reliant and carry out repairs on electronic devices will persist. Hence, this study seeks to find out the electronics works competencies required by electronics teachers for effective teaching in technical colleges in Osun and Oyo states.
Statement of the Problem
The rapid development of the current world of work needs proficient workers mainly in fields which involved modern technologies such as electronics works. This is to ensure rapid development in the country especially in Osun and Oyo states as a result of the quality of teachers which is increasingly judged by college students’ performance, standard of teaching and the time to plan the lesson during teaching.
The set standards by NBTE for instructional materials required to teach electronic devices, electronic circuit, radio communication and television system in Osun and Oyo states technical colleges have not been adequately met by electronics teachers. This is evident in the results of students in May/ June 2002 (NABTEB, 2002) and May/ June 2005 – 2009 (NABTEB, 2005-2009). This is because most of the teachers in the study area learnt electronics devices and circuit theoretically and believe that it should be passed to others in the same way. But teachers need competencies to support teaching in order to make teaching mastery-based, student-centered and personalized learning environments.
The personality of a teacher is not only sufficient for effective teaching and has to be coupled with competence which is very important in relation with the classroom atmosphere. The teacher has to efficiently manage the class especially when demonstrating radio communication and television system which requires achieving the set objectives /plans for the class with minimum deviations. But this has not been achieved in the study area because according to Ololube (2009), electronics teachers in technical colleges have been using
traditional stereotype of teaching which involve the teacher standing in front of the classroom and teach the college students without combining other methods of teaching.
Also, there are different levels of classroom competencies that teachers should possess in order to create quality in instruction. For example, teachers are expected not only to impart knowledge but also to understand student’s basic cognitive and social problems; match curricular offering to levels of mental development and translate curricular specifications into relevance. Teaching in modern society involves the task of assisting students to make worthwhile and ensuring competence in their school work and their occupations. If these issues are not resolved, the college students may not appreciate progress towards his or her electronic works learning. Since the main duty of electronic works technical college teachers is to get the individual student to learn, it is their duty also to remove obstacles to learning. Hence, this research is focusing on the investigation of the electronics works competencies required by electronics teachers for effective teaching in technical colleges in Osun and Oyo states.
Purpose of the Study
The major purpose of the study was to investigate the electronics works competencies required by electronics teachers for effective teaching in technical colleges in Osun and Oyo states. Specifically, the study aims to identify electronics works competencies required by electronics teachers for effective teaching of:
1. Electronic devices.
2. Electronic circuits.
3. Radio communication.
4. Television System.
Significance of the Study
The study shall be beneficial to students, teachers, college administrators, industries and society at large. If the electronics works competencies identified are effectively thought to technical colleges students, it will help students to acquire the necessary competencies that are needed in the maintenance and repair of all electronic devices. Therefore, the students will be able to use the knowledge and skills acquired to set-up a business of their own and therefore become self reliant.
This study will provide information for teachers on tools used for identification of appropriate selection of electronic circuits and devices for repair of radio and television sets. Thus, it ensures the public to be free from electronic waste. The study will provide instruction on career preparation in electronics works. This will motivate the students to learn and also encourage the teacher for effective teaching.
On the part of technical college administrators, the findings will provide administrators’ information on electronics works competences where their staff and students require improvement. This information may be used by the administrators to organize short re-training courses in electronics works for their staff for improved performance.
The study will serve as sources of information and literature to educational researchers who wish to conduct similar study in their areas of specialization. The study will guide them on what to do in order to achieve objectives of their studies. They will also extract relevant literatures from the study to build their own.
The society will also benefit from the findings of the study because when the technical colleges produce competent graduates with expected skills that will enable them to repair and have effective maintenance of electronics equipment, thus reducing the problem of quack electronics works technicians thereby, offering good services to the society. This will go a long way in achieving the much needed technological development in Nigeria.
Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the study.
1 What are the competencies required of electronic teachers to teach electronic devices?
2 What are the competencies required of electronic teachers to teach electronic circuits?
3 What are the competencies required of electronic teachers to teach radio communication?
4 What are the competencies required of electronic teachers to teach television system?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 probability level of significance. H01: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of experienced and less
experienced electronic teachers in technical colleges on competencies required to
teach electronic devices.
H02: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of experienced and less experienced electronic teachers in technical colleges on competencies required to teach electronic circuits.
H03: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of experienced and less experienced electronic teachers in technical colleges on competencies required to teach radio communication.
H04: There is no significant difference between the mean responses experienced and less experienced electronic teachers in technical colleges on competencies required to teach television system.
Scope of the Study
This study was restricted to the identification of competencies that would be required by experienced and less experienced electronic teachers to teach electronics works in technical colleges in Osun and Oyo states. The study focuses on competencies required by electronics teachers to teach electronic devices, electronic circuits, radio communication, television system and will not discuss electronic systems, amplifiers, power supply, oscillators, multivibrators, digital electronics and so on.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
ELECTRONICS WORKS COMPETENCIES REQUIRED BY ELECTRONICS TEACHERS FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES IN OSUN AND OYO STATES
A1Project Hub Support Team Are Always (24/7) Online To Help You With Your Project
Chat Us on WhatsApp » 09063590000
DO YOU NEED CLARIFICATION? CALL OUR HELP DESK:
09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
YOU CAN REACH OUR SUPPORT TEAM VIA MAIL: [email protected]
09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
