Professional Competency Improvement Needs of Agricultural Education Lecturers in Computer-Based Instructional Delivery in Universities in South-South Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the professional competency improvement needs of Agricultural Education lecturers for computer-based instructional delivery in Universities in South-South Nigeria. The study had 3 (three) purposes, in line with these purposes, 3 (three) research questions were answered and 3 (three) hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study was 101 comprising of 69 mala and 32 female Agricultural Education lecturers in universities in the area. Census sampling techniques was used for the study because it was manageable for the researchers hence all the population was used. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Professional Competency Improvements Needs of Agricultural Education Lecturers in the Adoption of Computer Based Instructional Delivery in Universities Questionnaire (PCINAELACIDUQ). The reliability of the instrument was established through Cronbach alpha method and it yielded an internal consistency of 0.85 and 0.81 for need and performance categories respectively. Data for the study was collected by the researchers and six research assistants. 98 copies representing 97% of the instrument were retrieved (68 from male and 30 from female agricultural education lecturers) for analyses. Data for the study was analyzed using mean, improvement need index (INI). It was found from the study that Agricultural Education lecturers need professional competency improvement in: basic computer skills and installation (18 item); MS word (17 item) and MS excel (15 items). It was further concluded that Agricultural Education lecturers need professional competency improvement in 50 items in computer-based instructional delivery in Universities in South-South Nigeria. Among the recommendations made were that; Lecturers should individually seek improvement in the identified competency areas of basic computer application through workshops, capacity building programs, conferences so that they can effectively teach their students; school management should organize retraining or in-service training for Agricultural Education lecturers using specialized resource persons in computer application to impact skills in the identified areas of need in MS word and that the identified professional competency needs in MS excel should be enshrined into the curriculum used in universities where upcoming lecturers are trained.