Evaluation of Methods Adopted for Training Students in the Use of Quantity Surveying Software Packages in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
Musa, N. A., Ojo, G. K. and Oladele, F.
Department of Quantity Surveying, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun-State, Nigeria.
DOI: 10.36108/laujoces/1202.60.0211
Abstract
Effective training through selection of suitable methods is imperative for students to acquire necessary skills and competences required for employment. Suitability of the methods adopted for training the students the use of dedicated quantity surveying software packages is in doubt due to the increasing rate of unemployment among the graduates. Hence, this paper examined the methods adopted for training the students with a view to determining their suitability. Primary data were obtained through questionnaires administered virtually through email and WhatsApp social medium due to COVID-19 pandemic on the total population of 21 lecturers responsible for training the students in the 20 fully accredited tertiary institutions in the country. In addition, secondary data were obtained from the end of the semester students’ raw score sheets of the ICT courses from the lecturers’ records. A total of 18 properly completed questionnaires representing 85.7% return rate, were received via email and WhatsApp social medium. The data obtained were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics such as means, percentages, and Cramer’s V test using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The results obtained revealed that the lecturers were not academically qualified in both ICT and pedagogy thus playing roles they were not trained for. It further revealed that the lecturers were adopting only two forms of traditional training method (Lecture and Discussion) which could not produce the required learning outcome. Thus, the study concluded that the adopted methods of training were unsuitable and recommended capacity building in both ICT and Teaching for the lecturers.
Keywords: ICT, Quantity surveying, Software packages, Tertiary institutions, Training methods