ATTITUDE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS TOWARDS LEARNING IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS (A CASE STUDY OF RIVERS STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Learning is an individual action which confronts the learners with the risk of going to an unknown place in the end (Giordon, 2008). For most of the teachers, a good student is the one who is eager to learn and has positive attitudes towards learning. Having learning expectation at a low level will reduce the motivation and consequently the success (Açıkgöz Ün, 2007). In a study done by Burke & Williams, it is found out that the students who are much better motivated for learning both get more successful and tend towards the thinking skills (Burke &Williams, 2008). Also, it is known that positive beliefs of students towards obtaining knowledge support their efforts to teach a course (Kara, 2010). Learning is basically an individual performance. For that reason, positive or negative attitudes towards learning are valuable for the success of learning. Attitude is a tendency which is attributed to individuals and creates ideas, feelings and behaviours about a psychological object in an orderly manner (Çetin, 2006). According to Oncul (2014), attitudes which cause individuals to always behave in the same way to people, objects, events and foundations are constant and unchangeable beliefs, feelings and tendencies (Kara, 2010). While the positive attitudes serve a better comprehension of the nature of learning for the learners, it also makes the students more open to learning, increases their expectations from learning process and reduces their anxiety levels. For instance, students having positive attitudes towards reading take more advantage of the advance organizers. Achievements of the students developing negative attitudes go down (Güngör & Açıkgöz, 2006). According to Buruner (2013), the desire of learning interpenetrates people. However, it is important that the intrinsic motivators of the learner, such as the learners’ sense of wonder, high expectations, desire of sufficiency, support this process (Açıkgöz Ün, 2007). It is necessary to be eager and in need of learning in this process. It is important to know the ways of learning, develop expectations and have no anxiety for learning in order to be successful. Such a process will be followed by learning. Learning to learn is being able to produce new knowledge for the new situations by setting forth the available knowledge (Taşpınar, 2009). The effort of students made for learning is the most important way for them to reach knowledge. Because there is desire, openness, expectation, curiosity towards knowledge and meeting of needs in the nature of learners (Şimşek, 2007). Learning means changing. Learners obtain information by structuring it in the mind, not in an unrefined way (Saban, 2014). Therefore, in the process of structuring information, being positive or negative of the way of accepting information, being open to learning or not, having high or low expectation levels and developed anxiety levels are all important factors. Extreme anxiety of the learners reduces their motivation levels, creates decrease in performance and thus it affects the self-confidence of individuals in a negative way (Senemoğlu, 2005). According to Fink (2008), learning needs and expectations of the learners can change. In this sense, the learners need to know what is necessary to learn and how they will make this process easier. Nowadays, learners’ learning to learn, making effort for learning and high desire towards it are important focal points. In this context, it is one of the important roles of teachers to support the learners for developing positive attitudes towards learning. Brookfield (2012) states that the role of teacher is not only conveying knowledge but also simplifying the knowledge acquisition by building up learning desire for the students. Students need to be reinforced about learning to learn at university. Bringing in lifelong learning desire and skills must create the priority of supporting their being opens to learning. Learning aims not to remember knowledge (superficial learning), but rather it aims to find out the knowledge, make effort for learning and most importantly be able to use the knowledge (learning deeply) (Wirth & Perkins, 2008). As the learner is the first responsible one to create understanding and knowledge, it is pretty significant to know what kind of attitude s/he has towards learning. Understanding students’ attitude toward learning business education will help develop business education programs that suit the nation and are student centred. According to Hannan, Hazlett, and Leitch (2004), positive attitudes towards business education is useful for the development of high level business initiative among students. Students’ attitude towards business education will influence the way they approach the business education course and consequently their business intention. Students’ attitude towards business education can therefore be viewed as an important incentive to business intention as the old adage goes, ‘attitude determines altitude’. Thus if the attitude of students towards business education is positive, then the tendency of them engaging in business activities will be high. Positive attitude is a vital mind-set that should be possessed by every aspiring business personnel. Likewise, students’ attitude towards business education will determine how they approach the course and the benefit they will derive from the course. Students with positive attitude towards the course will be full of drive and enthusiasm. Research has revealed that the interest of tertiary students in business education is low (Bishop, 2012). Existing studies have assessed students’ attitude towards Business Education but not business education hence this research.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Nigeria is one of the countries in the world experiencing population growth without commensurate growth in the economy, as a growing economy it is clear that most Nigerians are saddled with poor economic conditions such as poverty, unemployment high dependency ration, and over dependence on government to provide jobs after graduation for the increasing number of youth. The rate of youth employment is rapidly increasing; the Nigerian Tertiary Institutions have not contributed phenomenally towards managing that problem due to their inability to produce graduates that can be self employed and employers; thereby relying on government and the small private sector for employment. In an attempt to address that the Nigerian government introduces Business Education in the curricular of tertiary institutions with the aim of inculcating the spirit of Business Education in the minds of students so that majority can effectively be self employed after graduation. The policy was received with mixed fillings like any other reform policy. Therefore, the study aim of examine the perception and attitudes of students of tertiary institution towards Business Education in Nigeria. And also to ascertain whether there is significant differences between the students of universities and polytechnics in their attitudes and perception towards Business education in Nigeria.

1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to examine the attitude of Business Education student towards learning in tertiary institutions. Other general objectives of the study are:

1. To examine the perception of tertiary institutions students towards the teaching and learning of Business Education.

2. To examine the attitudes of tertiary institutions schools students towards the methods used in teaching and learning of Business Education.

3. To examine the effect of students attitudes on the studying of Business Education in tertiary institutions.

4. To examine the factors affecting tertiary institutions students attitude towards the study of Business Education.

5. To examine the relationship between attitude of students towards the study of Business Education and their academic performance.

6. To examine the causes of tertiary institutions students’ attitudes towards the study of Business Education.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the perception of tertiary institutions students towards the teaching and learning of Business Education?

2. How are the attitudes of tertiary institutions students towards the methods used in teaching and learning of Business Education?

3. What are the effects of student’s attitudes on the studying of Business Education in tertiary institutions?

4. What are the factors affecting junior secondary school students attitude towards the study of Business Education?

5. What is the relationship between attitude of students towards the study of Business Education and their academic performance?

6. What are the causes of tertiary institutions students’ attitudes towards the study of Business Education?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1

H0: There is no significant effect of student’s attitudes on the studying of Business Education in tertiary institutions.

H1: There is a significant effect of student’s attitudes on the studying of Business Education in tertiary institutions.

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant relationship between attitude of students towards the study of Business Education and their academic performance.

H1: There is a significant relationship between attitude of students towards the study of Business Education and their academic performance.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of the study will contribute effectively to impart knowledge in the area of teaching and learning Business Education in tertiary institutions in Nigeria as a whole, It will help Business Education teachers to be able to effectively and appropriately impart knowledge to their students because teachers get to know and understand the perception of their students about the subject which provides the opportunity for new knowledge and perceptions The study will also serve as a basic reference for both teacher and educational stakeholders and other related institutions such that they will be able to solve challenges they may encounter in dealing with issues related to the attitudes of students towards Business Education. The findings of this work will not only aid players in education to take informed decisions but it will also make them understand the challenges and processes in research.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is based on attitude of Business Education student towards learning in tertiary institutions in Rivers state.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Attitudes: Attitude is how individuals behave or respond to a situation or a thing. Due to individual differences, people exhibit different behaviours towards events and circumstances. Attitudes can exert strong influence on behaviour, many powerful forces such social norms and values and specific circumstances can pressure people can act in particular ways.

Teaching and learning: it is the interaction between teachers and learners whereby knowledge is transferred from the teacher to the learners with the aim of changing student’s behaviour towards the set goals.

Business: An organization or economic system where goods and services are exchanged for one another or for money.
Every business requires some form of investment and enough customers to whom its output can be sold on a consistent basis in order to make a profit.

Education:  The wealth of knowledge acquired by an individual after studying particular subject matters or experiencing life lessons that provide an understanding of something. Education requires instruction of some sort from an individual or composed literature.

Learning: Gaining skill or relatively persistent change in an individual’s potential behaviour due to experience. The experience a student gets when he/she is exposed to mathematics activity or any other activity aimed at causing a change in an individual’s behaviour.