Strengthening Theory and Practice Link in Higher Education: An Investigation into Lithography Printing Faults (Published)
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a six-week structured pre-press and press activities programme based on integrating theory and practice at the industrial level. The study consisted of twenty-four participants with minimal industrial skills and work experience in lithography printing faults, causes, and remedies. Purposive sampling was used. Qualitative research method and action research design were employed. Data was collected through interviews, observation, focus group discussion and tests. The study was analysed through Thematic and Descriptive analysis. Analysis of the data shows that, at the end of the six-week programme, all 12 participants who took part in the industrial training greatly improved in skill development and work experience in all aspects of the pre-press and press activities. However, the other 12 participants who did not participate in the training did not acquire any skills. This study suggests that integrating theory and practice at the industrial level could enhance graduates’ skill and work experience in lithography printing faults, causes and remedies to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Citation: Boakye-Amponsah A., Enninful E.K., and Lamptey B. (2023) Strengthening Theory and Practice Link in Higher Education: An Investigation into Lithography Printing Faults, British Journal of Education, Vol.11, Issue 1, 54-77
Keywords: Integration, Theory, lithography, practice, printing faults
Assessment of Teachers Implementation of Social Studies Curriculum Contents in Private Secondary Schools in Aguata Education Zone: A Catalyst for Achieving National Integration in Nigeria (Published)
The research work deals on the assessment of teachers’ implementation of social studies curriculum contents in private secondary schools in Aguata education zone: A catalyst for achieving national integration in Nigeria. A survey design was adopted for the study. The population consists of fifty teachers teaching social studies in junior secondary schools in Aguata education zone. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample forty teachers. The questionnaire was the major instrument for data collection and it was validated by two experts in curriculum and social studies. The mean statistics was used to analyse the data collected. The findings of the study showed that the concepts or topics such as cross cultural studies, inter-tribal marriages, national institutions, national symbols promote national integration. It was also discovered that teachers of social studies face difficulties in relating some of the topics in physical environment, peace education, national values to national integration. The paper also discovered that field trip, discussion and inquiry methods are appropriate for teaching social studies for achievement of national integration but rarely used by teachers, and instructional resources for implementing social studies curriculum content are not adequately provided. The paper concluded that adequate instructional materials, training and retraining of teachers, employment of qualified social studies teachers are necessary conditions for effective implementation of social studies curriculum content for achieving national integration in Nigeria. Conclusion and relevant recommendations were made.
Keywords: Curriculum, Integration, National, Social Studies
Status of Technologies in Business Education Departments of Tertiary Institutions in Ebonyi State for Effective Integration of Electronic Learning (Published)
The study was conducted to assess status of technologies in business education departments of tertiary institutions in Ebonyi state for effective integration of electronic learning. Two purposes of study and corresponding research questions provided guide for the study. Two hypotheses were tested in the study. The population was 37 business education lecturers and 748 Business Education Students in three tertiary institutions that offer Business Education programmes. All the business education lecturers and 486 Business Education students were used. This gave a sample size of 523. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled “Integrating e-learning into Business Education Programs (IEBEP)”, which consists of 39 literature-based items meant to elicit information from the respondents. The reliability of the instrument was ensured by using Cronbach alpha reliability computation which yielded a co-efficient index of 0.98. A total of 523 copies of the instrument were administered to the respondents but 522 were correctly filled and returned. Mean, standard deviation and t-test statistical techniques were used to analyze the data that emerged from the study and the hypotheses tested at 0.05 alpha level. Results from the data analyzed showed that most computer equipment needed for integration of e-learning are available in business education departments, most computer networks are lacking in business education department. It was recommended, among others, that government and the school management should upgrade computer resources in Business Education departments
Keywords: Business Education, Electronic Learning, Integration, Status
THE EFFECT OF INTEGRATION ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS: A CASE STUDY OF INTEGRATED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KERICHO COUNTY, AINAMOI CONSTITUENCY, KENYA (Published)
Vision is ordinarily a very important source of information about the world, the ‘stuff’ on which cognition comes to operate. The provision of the low vision services in Kenya started in 1980s. Before then, all learners were educated as blind irrespective of their degree of vision loss. Christoffel Blinden Mission conducted a survey, which revealed that there was need to encourage children with low vision to use their sight, since they were using techniques for the blind. It was also discovered that 15-25% of the learners did not require special education services at all. This low vision services was first provided in the school for the blind students and then in the integrated schools. This paper thus sought to establish the effect on academic performance for visually impaired students brought about by this integration. To achieve this, the author considered carrying out a study in Kericho County. The study was done between September and November 2006 using a case study design. Questionnaires focus group discussion and document analysis were the main techniques used in data collection. A total of 200 respondents participated in the study and data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. It was found that an integrated education program has recorded better performance for students with visual impairment than in the specially designed schools for the visually impaired students as perceived by students. On average, it was observed that students with visual impairments perform better than their sighted counterparts.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Effect, Integration, Students with visual Impairments.