ACADEMIC STAFF SKILLS AND PROFICIENCY LEVEL IN RESEARCH PROJECT SUPERVISION IN FEDERAL AND STATE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN DELTA STATE

Abstract

This study examined academic staff skills and proficiency level in research project supervision in Federal and State Government-Owned Colleges of Education (COEs) in Delta State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study. The descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. Population for the study constituted 637 academic staff and 667 final year students from two colleges of education in Delta State. Sample size for the study comprised a total of 191 academic staff and 334 students from the two COEs selected using purposive sampling technique. Two researcher self-structured questionnaire, titled: “Academic Staff Skills in Research Project Supervision Questionnaire (ASSPRPSQ)” and “Academic Staff Proficiency Level in Research Project Supervision Questionnaire (ASPLRPSQ)” containing 16 items each and structured on 4 points scale, was used for data collection. These research instruments were validated by three experts and their reliability established through a pilot-test. Data collected were analyzed using mean statistics rated at 2.50 and standard deviation. Findings of the study revealed among others; that academic staff in the two COEs had limited number of research skills in research project supervision. The study recommended among others, that the various levels of Governments (Federal and State) through the regulatory agency for COEs, that is, the Nigerian Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and college management with the private sector support, should expose academic staff to constant training and retraining programmes in academic research processes through adequate funding and sponsorship for academic staff to acquire bountiful research skills in research project supervision.