ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to find out strategies for improving the performance of students in woodwork in the National Technical Certificate examination in Nasarawa State. In order to achieve this purpose, 180 woodwork students and 40 woodwork teachers from the three technical colleges were used for the study.
To guide the researcher in his investigation, four research questions were formulated.
A set of questionnaire was structured for principals, teachers and students in the three technical colleges. A five – point likert scale was adopted in structuring the items in the questionnaire. The data was collated and analysed using the 5 points likert’s scale. For the purpose of interpretation, mean scores and t-test were used for research questions and hypotheses respectively. Presentation of data was done by the use of tables. The tables were accompanied by brief notes describing the findings made from the data presented.
Damian (2006) revealed that there are problems in the performance of students in woodwork in the NTC examination such as financial problems, non availability of necessary equipment, materials and trained/qualified teachers. That there are strategies for improving the performance of students in woodwork in the NTC examination such as finance, sending teachers for in-service training and students industrial work experience scheme.
The following findings were raised;
– Standard textbooks should be made available to students in furniture making.
– Teachers should attend workshops/seminars to enhance performance.
– Students placement in woodwork should be based on their potentials.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The importance of technical vocational education cannot be overemphasized. Dart (1999) stressed that any nation that fails to emphasize technical vocational subjects at the technical level of education runs the risk of being left behind by the more technically conscious nations. Golami
(2002) argued that technical vocational education in technical colleges should help individuals acquire and develop skills which will help them to enter into business world. Inyang (2002) believed that technical vocational education should be integral part of the total framework of education in Nigeria because it provides competence and help to prepare students for self employment and also meets the demand for entry jobs. Thus, technical vocational education subjects lead to the acquisition of practical skills and knowledge relating to occupation (Anyakoha and Oranu, 1992).
The national policy on education (2004) was introduced among other factors as a result of the felt needs to improve the quality of education in the country which was thought to be largely colonial in orientation. What is significant about this change is not just the structure but the content of
education particularly that of technical education. With these ideas students
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will apply the use of hands and brains through academic and practical knowledge provided under the policy on education. The structure of the system is that with such practical knowledge and competence products of the system will be gainfully employed or self employed at the end of their training. Strategy as perceived by Kulka and Levenston (1984), is the way of arriving at a certain thing at a specific point in time. According to Hornby (2000), it is part of a plan that is meant to achieve a particular purpose or to gain an advantage. Similarly, Zehra (1998) saw strategy as a framework within which an organization defines possible means for achieving goals. Strategy is to explore ways, sources, collaboration, attitude and opportunity, which are intended to yield results in the medium and long term for specific problems.
Performance, according to Hornby (2000) is an act that involves a lot of effort or as the required degree of excellence. In both internal and external examinations in the technical colleges and beyond, practicals stand as a measure of performance of every student. Therefore, for any student to be able to meet the challenges of education, there is the need to attain a certain level of skills before he could be certain of making a satisfactory impact in any examination. Performance requires the student to perform the skilled operations that have been taught and to perform them under conditions
equivalent to or approximate to the working conditions of the trade. Such performance measures the student’s ability to apply knowledge. Performance improvement is the training purposefully planned for students in training, geared towards efficiency and effectiveness for maximization of profit or benefit (Imandojemu, 2001).
Characteristics of performance improvement in woodwork are:
i. to enable students to do specific tasks/achieve work objectives ii. to improve quality of workmanship
iii. to less wastage of materials.
In one of the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) chief examiners’ reports (2001-2005) on the performance of students in woodwork, it was observed that performance in the paper as a whole was not satisfactory. Thus, a lot of valuable time was lost as delving on materials not essential to the question. Hence candidates ended up with low marks. This revealed that the standard of achievement and performance amongst students in woodwork in the school system has actually fallen. The chief examiners’ observation therefore called for adequate attention to be focused on the performance of students in woodwork. The inability of students to perform in woodwork examination made the students not to be
self employed or paid employed. The objectives of technical education policy on education of Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) are:
i. provide trained manpower in the applied sciences, technology and business particularly at craft, advanced craft and technical levels.
ii. provide the technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural commercial and economic development.
iii. give training and impart the necessary skills to individual who shall be self reliant economically.
Woodwork as conceived by Love (2002) are things made of wood in a building or room, such as doors and stairs. Woods are used for roofing, comfort (furniture), fuels, papers, etc.
Writing on process approach as a method of identifying woodwork practice skills, Love (2002) observed that the woodwork practices of a woodworker could be identified through the observance of the task performed, sequence followed and display of application of skills in carrying out task in an occupation or trade. Love added that, the competencies of a woodworker will be displayed by the ability to following the right work process sequentially and follow safety rules accordingly. Concluding, that proficient workers perform task skillfully and avoid unsafe acts on material selection, tool handling, using equipment, operating machines, lifting loads,
applying quality control measures and follow sequences of operation. The woodworkers deficiencies will always be exposed through the observed work processes.
The objectives of woodwork is to enable the graduates of these technical colleges to be self-employed or paid employed and to have academic mobility by pursing higher education after graduation.
Nasarawa State was created on 1st October, 1996 out of the present
Plateau State. Nasarawa State has three technical colleges sited in the three senatorial zones, these are: GTC Assakio in Nasarawa South, GTC Mada station in Nasarawa North, and GTC Agwada in Nasarawa West. The technical colleges are co-educational and approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The role of the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) is to develop examination syllabuses. The body is charged with the responsibility of conducting amongst other examinations leading to the award of National Technical certificate and Advanced National technical Certificate (NTC/ANTC) and National Business Certificate and Advanced National Business Certificate (NBC/ANBC) to deserving students. It has a duty and function to develop appropriate test instruments to ensure successful implementation of the national curriculum in technical and commercial
colleges in the country. It is therefore responsible to make decisions concerning assessment goals and means of achieving them. There are various trades which are being examined by NABTEB in which woodwork is inclusive. The components examined by NABTEB in woodwork are as follows:
1. Furniture making
2. Machine woodworking
3. Carpentry and Joinery
4. General woodwork
Statement of the Problem
Recently, indeed since the establishment of technical colleges in Nasarawa State, statistics has revealed that the performance of students in woodwork in the National Technical Certificate as published by NABTEB is alarming. In one of the national business and technical examination board (NABTEB) chief examiners’ reports (2001-2005) on the performance of students in woodwork, it was observed that performance in the paper as a whole was not satisfactory. Apart from the deteriorating standard of woodwork, candidates just plunged into writing wrong answers. Thus, a lot of valuable time was lost as delving on materials not essential to the question. Hence candidates ended up with low marks. This revealed that the standard of
achievement and performance amongst students in woodwork in the school system has actually fallen. The chief examiners’ observation therefore called for adequate attention to be focused on the performance of students in woodwork.
The low performance of students in NABTEB examination has contributed to the inability of technical college graduates to secure self-employment or paid employment. The question of low performance of students in woodwork in the technical colleges has generated a lot of complaints and concern amongst educationist, teachers, parents, students and government officials, e.g. inability to secure admission into higher institution.
The school authorities and officials of the Ministry of Education blame the low academic performance in woodwork on lack of seriousness on the part of the students, others attributed it to poor methods of teaching. In view of the above appalling situation in the realm of education in Nasarawa State especially the technical education, it becomes very imperative to determine strategies for improving the performance of students in woodwork in the NTC examination.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to determine strategies for improving the performance of students in woodwork in the National Technical Certificate examination. Specifically, the study determined:
1. strategies for improving the performance of students in furniture making.
2. strategies for improving the performance of students in machine woodworking.
3. strategies for improving the performance of students in carpentery and
4. strategies for improving the performance of students in general woodwork
Significance of the Study
The findings of the study will be of benefit to the following: teachers of woodwork, Ministry of Education, students of woodwork, technical college administrators, NABTEB, parents and industries.
The findings of the study will be benefit to teachers of woodwork because it will help them to update their teaching methods in woodwork and other technical subjects. Teachers of woodwork will benefit by re-training through workshops and seminars, which will provide useful information on how new modern equipment and tools are used for woodwork shop. This
study will enable the Ministry of Education to take appropriate measures as panacea to the problem. The findings of the study will be important to students of woodwork as the likelihood of education mobility will be greatly achieved. The findings of the study will benefit students of woodwork as it enables the students to be self-employed or paid employed. This study will help technical college administrators greatly on how to seek ways for improving on the subject of woodwork.
The findings of the study will benefit NABTEB by determining the low performance in her examination with a view to making recommendations to curriculum planners for improvement. The findings of the study will benefit industries as workers to be employed from the graduates of woodwork will reduce cost for the industries as they are already practically oriented while in school. The findings of the study will benefit parents as the parents would be relief financially as their wards would be looking after their young ones since must of them are practically oriented and they can be self-reliance without being employed by the government.
Research Questions
The following research questions will be guided:
1. What are the strategies for improving the performance of students in furniture making?
2. What are the strategies for improving the performance of students in machine woodworking?
3. What are the strategies for improving the performance of students in carpentry and joinery?
4. What are the strategies for improving the performance of students in general woodwork?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses was tested at 0.05 level of significance. HO1: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of
teachers and students on the strategies for improving the performance
of students in furniture making in the NTC examination.
HO2: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of teachers and students on the strategies for improving the performance of students in machine woodworking in the NTC examination.
HO3: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of teachers and students on the strategies for improving the performance of students in carpentry and joinery in the NTC examination.
HO4: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of teachers and students on the strategies for improving the performance of students in general woodwork in the NTC examination.
Delimitation of the Study
This study is delimited to the core technical components of woodwork in the NTC examination in Nasarawa State. The three technical colleges are;
1. Government Technical College, Assakio
2. Government Technical College, Agwada 3. Government Technical College, Mada Station.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN WOODWORK IN THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE (NTC) EXAMINATION IN NASARAWA STATE
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