INNOVATIONS IN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY AND CURRICULUM REVISION NEEDS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMMES OF COLLEGES OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL)

Abstract

This study is conducted to determine the Innovations in Building Technology that need to be integrated into the Building Construction Programmes of South-East Colleges of Education (Technical). Six research  questions  were  developed  in  relation  to  what  the  study sought to find out, four null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the   probability   of   0.05   level   of   significance.   78   structured questionnaire items were developed and used for the study while 3 experts were engaged to face-validate the instrument. The instrument was tested for reliability with Cronbach Alpha () to determine the internal consistency of the data collected. The the population for the study comprised 86 building personnel (who are Architects, Building Engineers, and Building Technicians) and 11 Building Technology teachers  from  the  three  Colleges  of  Education  (Technical)  in  the South- East. This however brings the total population for the study to

97 respondents. The  data collected were analysed using mean to answer the research questions and t-test statistics to test the hypotheses. The result of the three null hypotheses tested showed

how the respondents do differ significantly in some of their opinions on the items. The study found out that all The findings showed that what  constitutes  the   Technological        Innovations  in   Building Construction  includes:  Automated  Building  Diagnostic  Software (ABDS), Active Window Insulation, Passive Solar Building Design, Computer-Aided    Design/Drafting    (CAD/CADD)    and    Advanced Structural    Design    Software/Methods.    Also,    that        Building Construction has changed dramatically due to numerous innovations, mostly concerned with technology and that there are lapses in the curriculum for building construction programmes in the Colleges of Education  (Technical) due to these innovations, hence the need for content, facility and skill updating to meet the demands of these innovations.   Some recommendations were made in line with the findings of the study.

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

A nation’s ability to create wealth and jobs coupled with its standing in the world community in terms of self-reliance and actualization depends on its prowess in technology and availability of well trained labor force. Technology could be defined as a systematic application of scientific or organizí knowledge to practical tasks (Olujide, 2000).Technology includes technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools and raw materials.

Technology involves all the know-how needed to  design and construct  products,  manufacture, maintain  and  manage  facilities. This implies that it embodies products, processes and people. Technology changes from  time  to  time  as  long  as  human beings continue to study their environment and come out with new inventions, ideas, methods and processes. These changes connote innovations. Hence technological innovations incessantly transforms production and consumption as well as organization of firms and industries destroying old ones and creating new ones.

According to Tornatzky and Lemer (1992), technological innovation refers to the process in which a new idea is embodied in tools, devices or procedures that are of practical value to society. It

may also be the reorganization of production, internal functions or distribution arrangements, leading to increased efficiency, better support for a given product, or lower costs. Technological innovations often   involve   tools   and   procedures,   products   and   processes, interacting in new ways. Uwadiae (1992) observed that, as a result of fast rate of technological innovations, new equipment is replacing old ones and new occupations are also springing up. According to him vocational education programme in the Federal Colleges of Education (Technical)  need  to  expand  to  cover  these  new  occupations  and provide training on the new technologies.

Technical and vocational education is that aspect of the educational process involving in addition to general education, the study of  technologies and related sciences and the  acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2004; United Nations Educational Scientific and  Cultural  Organization  and  International  Labor  Organization,

2000). Technical Education according to Okoro (2006) is a special grade  of  Vocational Education because of  more  Mathematics and Science that  are  required in  the  training programme.  It  includes specialized   areas   of   Industrial   Education   such   as   Building Technology.

Buildings  are  the  nation’s  most  valuable  assets,  providing people with shelter and facilities for work and leisure (Amobi, 2006). Onwuka (2005) defined building as the erection and maintenance of any structure in which people work or dwell. It can be defined as a structure such as a house which has roof and walls. Hence Building Technology involves the technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools  and  raw  materials  needed  for  the  erection  and maintenance of buildings. Building Technology involves many personnel in different professional areas (like Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Building Engineers and Technicians).These personnel in one way or the other contribute in the building construction industry.

Building Construction has changed dramatically due to numerous innovations, mostly concerned with technology. According to Tornatzky and Lemer (1992), many construction industry’s technologies involve combinations of hardware and software. Nesler (1998)  noted  that  the  changes  are  accelerating at  a  rate  that  is difficult to keep pace with. These changes are driven by rapid growth in innovations such as automated building diagnostic software(ABDS), active window insulation and passive solar building design, computer- aided design systems(CAD)(that allow designers/builders to simulate construction of large buildings),and advanced structural design method.

Automated Building Diagnostic Software is technology that was introduced to optimize the operation of heating, ventilation, and air- conditioning (HVAC) equipment through computerized monitoring and control of HVAC in large commercial buildings. It is a digital control for heating and cooling systems. Active window insulation is the use of active window insulation (Automated Venetian Electric Lighting) system as a day lighting strategy which offers potential savings in both lighting and cooling related energy use. Passive solar building design is a design process that aims at maintaining interior thermal comfort throughout the daily and annual cycles whilst reducing the requirement for active heating and cooling acquisition. CAD is used by Architects, Engineers and Contractors mostly for designing, drawing and presentation; while Quantity Surveyors use it for measurement, preparation of bills of quantities, estimating and presentation. Advanced structural design methods are mainly concerned with the use of structural design software in determining appropriate layer thickness and composition.

However changes in the design and construction of structures, improvement in existing materials and the introduction of new materials have historically gone hand in hand. It follows that current design/ construction materials and techniques may not be suitably handled  and  applied  if  proper  care  is  not  taken  to  address  the

problems associated with the introduction of new materials, methods and processes. Therefore, these innovations will definitely pose a lot of challenges to Building Construction programmes in the Colleges of Education (Technical).

Colleges of Education (Technical) are parts of the tertiary institutions distinguishable in Technical Education sub- sector whose primary role is to produce middle level personnel for commerce, industry, agriculture, healthcare and teaching. According to the National Commission for Colleges of Education (2002), the philosophy of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (Technical) is to provide technical teachers with the intellectual and professional background adequate for teaching technical subjects and to make them adaptable to any changing situation in technological development not only in the country but also in the world at large. Therefore, the degree of success of these Colleges in achieving these challenges depends, not only on the number of skilled people they can turn out, but more on the depth of the skills and the degree of relevance of these skills to the prevailing situations. Nevertheless, the depth and relevance of the skills invariably depend on the curriculum used for the programmes.

The curriculum is the guiding framework for the school activities. Ogwo and Oranu (2006),defined the curriculum in TVE as the  totality  of  those  experiences,  knowledge,  skills  and  activities

systematically   planned   to   educate   the   students   for   gainful employment in any chosen occupation or a cluster of occupations. However, for the curriculum (of any programme) to be relevant to prevailing situations, there is need for such curriculum to be revisited and reviewed as the need arises. Hence, curriculum revision involves the periodic review, improvement or changes of the curriculum contents, learning experiences and objectives to relate them to the needs of the time. According to Ogwo and Oranu (2006), the review is undertaken to forestall any crisis of relevance between the needs of society and the demands of the curriculum. When there are new aims of education arising from changes in cultural beliefs, values, ideals, and the philosophy of the society, the learning objectives, content and methods subsequently change.

The need for curriculum revision of Building Construction programmes in Colleges of  Education (Technical) is  of paramount importance. Finch and Crunkilton in Keiser, Lawrenz and Appleton (2004), proposed that, the success of Technical Education curricula is not  only  measured  by  students’  achievement in  school,  but  also through the results of that achievement in the world of work. Therefore,  the  curricula  must  be  oriented  and  justified  by  both process (learning experiences within the school setting) and the product    (employment    opportunities    derived    from    in-school

experiences).They suggested that, the curricula must be simultaneously  justified   by   industry,   yet   remain   pedagogically focused. This implies that, the curricula must directly help students develop a broad range of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that clearly contribute to the graduate’s employability. To accomplish these tasks successfully, the curricula must be based on standards and also responsive to the technological changes in society.

The Building Construction curriculum in Colleges of Education (Technical), on the contrary, lacks the essential rudiments of  the innovations in technology. This is proved by Bitrus (2008) who noted that technical college products in Nigeria are deficient in the use of new technologies in building industry. The curriculum consists of both theoretical and practical components. The contents include: Introduction to Building Construction, Building Science and Material Technology, Construction Method 1 & 2, Elementary Structural Design, Land Surveying, Practical Project, Building Drawing, Building Maintenance and Repair, School Workshop Management and Mechanical Drawing. But looking at the environment where everything is presently ICT-driven and creativity/aesthetics given more priority, one will suggest the need to add contents that will be environmental friendly so that the students will compete and fit in very well in the society. Also, the curriculum should have a dual approach as to meet

the  challenges  of  preparing  learners  for  two  important  pursuits: further education and entry into  the  world of  work. This will help achieve the goals of orientation for lifelong learning. But Ajibola (2008),noted  that   the   curriculum  of   Nigeria  schools  are   over ambitious, resulting in “overload”, and insufficiently attuned to the needs of the labor market, particularly   in pre-vocational and vocational/technical courses.

According to Charp (1998), preparing teachers for the 21st century, with on rush of new technologies and the flood of multimedia products, requires a restructuring of content, rethinking of existing methodology and another look at existing assessment tools. The new technology can not be expected to just drop in to existing course designs. Building Technology curricula should reflect the in-school and out of school success standards so that graduates possess the competencies and skills that are critical to employers needs. It is evident that development of practical skills is the responsibility of the school. Yet, majority of the teachers lack the dexterity for the integration of technology in the classroom. No one feels comfortable in teaching or performing a role he lacks skills in. Aliyu (2003) noted that, the skills needed by the students in Building Technology to be useful in the 21st  century building industry are lacking. Hence, the

curriculum needs to be revisited and revised to match with the new technologies in the building industries.

Statement of the Problem

A developing nation needs efficient services of technicians and technologists who have received formal training from vocational- technical institutions. Today, jobs rely less on muscle power and motor skills, but more on brain power, analytical reasoning and creativity because the society has entered the information age.

The building construction industry is currently experiencing a paradigm shift from traditional paper-based to digital-based information exchange. Computer packages and softwares such as: word processing, spreadsheet, computer aided design and internet- software are now employed in building construction industries. Yet, Oni (2007) observed that, in many vocational-technical institutions in Nigeria today, technicians and technologists are not trained to use computers for business purposes.

The  innovations in  Building  Technology such  as  the  digital control system, computer-aided design systems (CAD), and other advanced structural design software are lacking in the Building Construction   curriculum.   Thus,   the   graduates   of   Colleges   of Education (Technical) in the Building Construction programme are deficient in the use of new technologies in building industries. They

can   neither   operate   with   some   of   the   automated   emerging technologies in the building industry nor impart the skills to those in the Technical Colleges. Jegede and Owalobi (2005), noted that vocational-technical education in Nigeria is particularly disadvantaged in that the curriculum still emphasizes manual traditional skills ( For example, the use of CAD has replaced the manual way of drawing/designing and writing specifications which schools are still parading), over the use of technology. New design methods, materials and trades are also replacing old ones and these demand training people in new areas. This has implications for teacher education and the curriculum for Colleges of Education (Technical) in Nigeria. Employers are looking for multi-skilled workers who can cope with changing work organization.

The NCCE in the minimum standard (2002) did not include these  technological  innovations  and  their  principles,  applications, tools and equipment in the theoretical and practical components of the building construction curriculum. In line with this, Ajibola (2008) said that, the new curriculum is insufficiently attuned to the needs of the  labor  market  and  Oduolowu  (2001)  observed  that  there  are strands of evidence of lack of creativity in the Nigerian child. These imply that no child will  cope with the work-force if  the issue  of introducing  the  courses  that  are  environmental  friendly  and  ICT

driven in the curriculum are not visited. The requirements of construction   industries   are   not   in   phase   with   technicians’ performance at work; more is required of them than what they learn; the teachings and learning material used need to be upgraded to stimulate what is expected in the construction industry (Omondi,

2008).   The   issue   of   the   industries   retraining   the   graduates immediately after employment can be reduced to a great extent if proper review of the curriculum along side the changing technology is done. Based on these lapses in the curriculum, the study therefore, seeks to investigate the innovations in building technology and the curriculum revision needs of building construction programmes in Colleges of Education (Technical).

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine the Technological Innovations in Building Technology that need to be integrated into the Building Construction Programmes of South-East Colleges of Education (Technical).Specifically, the study will determine:

1.    The technological innovations in Building Construction

Industry

2.    The skills required in the study of the new technologies in

Building Construction;

3.    The theoretical contents of  the innovations in Building

Technology;

4.    The practical contents of the technological innovations in

Building Construction;

5.     The facilities for studying the theoretical and practical contents in Building Technology;

6.     The content areas that need to be reviewed in the curriculum of Building Construction.

Significance of the Study

The study will make available up-to-date information on the relevant technological innovations and corresponding skills, contents and facilities needed in building construction. Hence, the society will become more developed socially and economically and enjoy from the more effective services rendered by the technicians and builders. The technicians will become more competent in building works and be self

–reliant since they will be exposed to the relevant skills/ contents and trained with the modern facilities which are used in the industries. Thus, the rate of crime, idleness and delinquency in the society will be reduced. Economically, as many technicians will be employed or self employed, the rate of poverty will be reduced if not eradicated and this will boost the gross per capital income.

The result of this study will be of immense importance to the administrators that  are  in  charge  of  making educational policies, planning and developing the curriculum especially that of vocational education. For instance, the NCCE and NBTE will benefit as this will help them in the identification of skills and content area needed by

building technology students. The skills and contents identified will be integrated in  the  curriculum for  an  effective  training  of  NCE  (T) students in technology as they look into the identified content areas that need to be reviewed. They will in turn be well equipped with the relevant skills and facilities to train skillful teachers and competent craftsmen and technicians in building field. The result will also make the NCCE body to be aware of the standards for accreditation and the need to always give a place for technological changes when planning.

The technical teachers and the instructors of Colleges of Education (Technical) will benefit from this study because this will help them to know the innovations and the relevant skills they are expected to possess.   And, the school administrators will see the reason for updating their knowledge as well as acquiring more skills and  organizing  in-service  programmes  for  their  staff.  Also,  the teachers will be more effective and actualized when the relevant materials, tools and equipment are made available.

Tertiary institutions of technology will benefit from the finding because, if  these technical teachers  do their work  effectively, the interest of the students will be aroused and they will be highly motivated and value the knowledge and skills they are  pursuing. Hence, performance and enrollment in technical education will definitely improve and the institutions that admit these students will

have students who do not lack the foundation needed to be admitted into the technical education programmes.

The students who passed through the improved programmes when the  curriculum changes  are  effected and  necessary actions taken towards that will be able to handle automated machines whenever they are called upon since they are already equipped with relevant skills and knowledge needed to be able to face the challenges of the new technologies and developments in building in the 21st century building industries. They will be gainfully employed in the industry and be self actualized.

This   study   will   also   provide   building   industries   with information on the extent the skills and the contents (that are needed by NCE graduates in building technology) in the technological innovations are included in the curriculum and the level of acquisition of such skills by the NCE (T) graduates in building technology. This will help them to know the areas they will provide training for the graduates and also in further planning for the future.

Research Questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1.   What are the technological innovations in Building

Construction Industry?

2.    What are the skills required in the study of the new technologies in Building Construction?

3.   What are the theoretical contents of the innovations in

Building Technology?

4.    What are the practical contents of the technological innovations in Building Construction?

5.    What facilities are needed for studying the new theoretical and practical contents of Building Technology?

6.    What are the content areas that need to be reviewed in the curriculum of Building Construction?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were formulated for the study and will be tested at 0. 05 level of significance:

             Ho1: There is no significant difference in the Mean responses of building  industry  staff  and  building  technology  teachers  on what constitutes the technological innovations in building construction.

             Ho2:  There is no significant difference in the Mean responses of building industry staff and building technology teachers on the skills required in the study of the new technologies in building construction.

             Ho3:  There is no significant difference in the Mean responses of building industry staff and building technology teachers on the facilities for studying the new theoretical and practical content in building technology.

Delimitations of the Study

The study was delimited to the technological innovations (such as automated building diagnostic software, active window insulation, passive solar building design, computer–aided design systems, advanced structural design software/methods     in building technology).This study focused on the  needs in building drawing,

building    g science and material technology and building maintenance/repairs only. The study was delimited to the building personnel  who  are  architects,  engineers/technologists  and technicians in building construction industries and Colleges of Education building teachers in the South-East States of Nigeria.

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