STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING THE COMPETENCE OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY

1.1 Introduction

Pre-service teacher education programmes aim to prepare graduates to become quality teachers equipped with pedagogical practices that will serve to meet the increasing demands associated with the teaching profession (Bransford, Darling-Hammond, & LePage, 2005). Over the last decade, the focus on developing quality teachers has received increased attention in education (Barber & Mourshed, 2009; Bransford et al., 2005; Hattie, 2004). In Australia, a key objective of the Commonwealth Government has been to raise the quality of teaching in order to increase the effectiveness of schooling and to improve student outcomes. There has been greater interest in using pedagogical teaching practices that enhance intellectual thinking and problem solving as well as foster student belonging and connectedness (Lovat, 2007a).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Pre-service teachers are the students undertaking a course of learning in the Colleges of Education, which shall lead to the award of Nigeria Certificate in Education. Pre-service teachers according to NCCE (2008), are candidates whom have gained admissions in the Colleges of Education to study a programme or course of his/her choice for a period of three (3) years; to enable them teach effectively at the basic education level. The pre-service teachers are candidate undergoing training in the colleges of education for the purpose of teaching and they possess the pedagogy as required in the area they are trained, that is the knowledge and skills that teachers need for effective teaching, (NCCE, 2008).

Pre-service teachers as referred to in this study are the NCE III candidates that are measuring in electrical/electronic technology option. The NCE III are chosen because, it is at this level of study that the pre-service teachers chose their area of specialization, and the electrical/electronic technology is an area of specialization at the NCE III, (NCCE 2008). College of Education (COE) is principally a teacher training institution in the country, established to produce teachers for secondary schools. College of Education (COE) is established to train individuals to become competent in teaching science, agriculture, woodwork, home economics, metalwork, auto mechanics and electrical/electronic technology.

Colleges of education, according to Ellah (2007), are tertiary educational institutions that prepare intermediate level teachers for a minimum of three years to make them qualify to teach their respective subjects. Bakare, Zakka and Fittoka (2010) stated that these colleges run various technical education programmes such as automobile technology, technical drawing, woodwork technology, metal work technology, building technology and electrical/electronic technology.

Electrical/electronic technology is one of the technical education options offered at colleges of education that exposes students to practical knowledge and skills. It is concerned with the acquisition of practical knowledge and skills by pre-service teachers in areas such as; measuring electrical quantities, magnetism and electromagnetism, electrical circuits, electrical/electronic drawing, electrical machines and power, telecommunications, and maintenance and repair of electrical equipment, (NCCE, 2008).

According to Onifade (2005), electrical/electronic technology option is designed to produce electrical/electronic personnel for manufacturing, assembling, servicing of power generator, transmission, distribution and utilization in industries. Electrical/electronic technology is a programme designed for inculcating or equipping students with knowledge, skills and attitude in electricity and electronics to enable them impart the same to students in Schools and Colleges.

Electrical/electronic technology as referred to in this study is an option in the technical education that equip pre-service teachers with pedagogical skills in power generation, transmission and distribution; installation and maintenance of electrical equipment, repairs of elect/elect appliance, domestic and industrial wiring systems, circuit wiring, protection system and testing.

Training facilities are the material things that lecturers use to facilitate teaching and learning in the school. Ezeji (2004) stated that, training facilities include tools and machines, which stimulate an industrial environment in an educational setting. The training facilities include consumables, equipment, machinery, tools, electrical fixture, apparatus, safety devices, standard laboratory or workshops, structures and well equipped laboratory with modern equipment. These facilities enable the skilled technology teacher to achieve a level of instructional effectiveness that far exceeds what is possible when they are not provided. Also, the inappropriateness or obsolete training facilities and poor training and work environment are possible set back’s for training pre-service teacher’s particularly electrical/electronic technologies who are always found roaming the streets when they are unemployed, the need to enhanced their competence becomes necessary.

Attama (2011) stated that colleges of education in Nigeria run the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes in vocational and technical courses. They are under the control of the National Commissions for Colleges of Education (NCCE) which uses the minimum standard to monitor the implementation of programmes in the colleges. Bakare, et al (2010) also explained that colleges of education are established for producing graduates who can teach and practicalise what they have learnt. Colleges of Education as referred to in this study are specialized and conventional colleges that offer technical education programmes. That is colleges of education technical and states colleges of education that offer’s technical education departments which have been accredited by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to train pre-service teachers.

Therefore, in North Central Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Strategies for Enhancing the Competence of Pre-Service Teachers in Electrical/Electronic Technology in Colleges of Education.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that technical teachers lack effectiveness in managing basic technology laboratory and preventing wastage of materials. Teachers have shallow knowledge and skills in the subject matter (Miller, 2006). Technical teachers have deficiencies in planning and implementation of instruction in basic technology (Ede, 2001). Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) report (2004) stated that 50% of the teachers in the Nigerian school system were found unqualified to teach.

Also, World Bank report (2004) on Africa revealed that most of the teachers recruited into teaching position in Nigeria do not meet the quality required for effective teaching. These reports have revealed that, there is general inefficiency of teachers, particularly the NCE programme which is the minimum teaching qualification in the country.

The traditional teaching methods employed in teaching pre-service teachers are no longer relevant, due to the technological changes and development in the country. And the activities which are expected to expose the pre-service teachers to actual training have not been able to, due to lack of commitment by the pre-service teachers, and lecturers.

Also, appropriate training facilities as well as training and work environment are no longer effective in training of pre-service teachers, due to inappropriateness or obsoleteness of the training facilities as well as poor training and work environment. This study will therefore, determine the strategies that will be utilized by lecturers of electrical/electronic technology to effectively enhance the competence of pre-service teacher’s to qualify them to be professionals and efficient teachers of basic technology in the country.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to determine the Strategies for Enhancing the Competence of Pre-Service Teachers in Electrical/Electronic Technology in Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the computer aided teaching strategies for enhancing the pre-service teacher’s competence in electrical/electronic technology;
2. To determine the techniques needed to be adopted for effective utilization of training activities that will enhance the pre-service teacher’s competence in electrical/electronic technology;
3. To ascertain the appropriate training facilities for enhancing the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology; and
4. To determine how training and work environment should be organized to enhance the pre-service teachers competence in electrical/electronic technology.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What are the computers aided teaching strategies that will enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology?
• What are the techniques that will be adopted to effectively utilize training activities for enhancing the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology?
• What are the appropriate training facilities that will enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology?
• How can training and working environment be organized to enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H₀1: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical/electronic lecturers with teaching experience on the strategies that will enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology in colleges of education
• H₀2: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical/electronic lecturers with teaching experience on the training activities that will enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology
• H₀3: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical/electronic lecturers with teaching experiences on the appropriate training facilities that will enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology in colleges of education
• H₀4: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical/electronic lecturers with teaching experience on how training and work environment should be organized to enhance the competence of pre-service teachers in electrical/electronic technology in colleges of education

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1.7 Significance of Study

The findings of the study will be of great benefit to the students in electrical/electronic technology, further researchers, teachers, society, parents and NCCE administrators. The findings of the study will benefit the students of electrical/electronic technology in colleges of education, if the strategies identified in the study are implemented. They will be competent in teaching what they have learnt to their students in the secondary schools where their services are needed, and they can be self employed after graduation. Educational researchers will also benefit from the study. The study will serve as a source of information or literature, for further studies.

The lecturers of electrical/electronic technology will also benefit from the findings of the study. The identified strategies will be used to refresh or improve the competence of the lecturers through seminars, workshops and conferences. This will boost their knowledge and experiences in teaching electrical/electronic technology to students.

The findings of the study will also benefit the society when the strategies are implemented in colleges of education, the graduates produced will possess the competences needed for schools. The graduates will now be employed to teach children/wards belonging to members of the society in secondary schools. Also, parents will benefit from the result of the study, because their children will acquire the required competences upon graduation and shall be gainfully employed. The NCCE will also benefit from the result of the study because, the strategies identified will be documented and included in the minimum standard for colleges of education and when implemented the electrical/electronic technology competencies expected of the students will be acquired.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Strategies for Enhancing the Competence of Pre-Service Teachers in Electrical/Electronic Technology in Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Electrical/Electronic Technology: It is referred to the technical education that equip pre-service teachers with pedagogical skills in power generation, transmission and distribution; installation and maintenance of electrical equipment, repairs of elect/elect appliance, domestic and industrial wiring systems, circuit wiring, protection system and testing.