Instructional Methods Employed in Teaching Practical Skills for Industrial TVET Programmes in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

Teachers’ training institutions in Nigeria have been criticized severely for not producing teachers who are knowledgeable in various teaching methods. As end-users of the curriculum, teachers should be better positioned to utilize the appropriate instructional methods in TVET.  A mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative sample included 120 senior technical (ST1-3) students and 32 technical teachers in Nigeria. A five-dimensional questionnaire encompassing the Lecture method, Project-based learning, student-centered method, Practical demonstration method, and Field trip/Excursion was used to collect data, with the reliability put at 0.68, 0.72, 0.63, 0.74, and 0.79, respectively.  Qualitative data were gathered through interviews with twelve participants. The results showed that TVET lecturers preferred the use of five (5) teaching approaches, namely the lecture, project, demonstration, field trip/excursion, and student-centered methods in teaching practical skills.  Of these five methods, nine participants expressed their opinion that teachers do not combine these methods duringpractical skillslessons, while three of them think that lectures combine methods in teaching practical skills. Their reasons were that various teaching methods provide different opportunities for students to learn and master skills in various ways. However, the opinion of the twelve (12) participants shows that the lecture methodis the most predominant instructional method employed by TVET teachers. This is followed by the demonstration method as indicated by six participants (P1, P5, P6, P8, P10, and P12), the Students-centered method as opinioned by four participants (P3, P5, P8, and P9), the Project teaching method as indicated by three participants (P4, P7, and P11) and field trip/Excursion as indicated by one participant (P6). Based on these opinions, one concluded that practical skills are taught at technical colleges by merely discussing practical content, which allows students to listen and jot down points without actually demonstrating the skills