ISSN: 3007-1852 (Online) ISSN: 3007-1844 (Print) NIU Journal of Educational Research is a quarterly education journal published by Nexus International University, Uganda. This journal is research and community services related to education, which include development of moral and religious values, physical motor development, emotional social development, cognitive development, language development, artistic and creative development, parenting, management institution, development assessment, child development psychology, child empowerment, learning strategy, educational tool play, instructional media, innovation in education and other various fields related to education. NIU Journal of Education Research is intended to be the journal for publishing original articles on the latest issues and trends occurring in education curriculum, instruction, learning, policy, and preparation of teachers with the aim to advance our knowledge of education theory and practice. Moreover, this journal also covers issues concerning entrepreneurial and environmental education.
Nexus International University, Kampala, Uganda.
This edition of NIU Journal of Educational Research touches on Career Choice, Sustainable Educational Development, Artificial Intelligence Educational Tools and the Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Teachers Education for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. One of the papers, in this issue, argues that the ICT environment in Nigeria needs to be enriched to ensure the training and development of teachers that are able to blend with the changing demands of teaching in the present era of globalisation with its emphasis on Information Communication Technology (ICT). The paper, therefore, recommends enhancement of teacher access and competence through curriculum adaptation that will involve theoretical and practical exposures in Information Communication Technology (ICT) as part of teacher education programme and provision of access to computer and other ICT infrastructure to teachers on the field. Another paper also reveals that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools has insignificantly contributed to sustainable entrepreneurship in clothing and textiles. The paper therefore, recommends that students need to be properly trained and equipped in handling these tools by teachers to be prepared for the job market. On the whole, this issue of NIU Journal of Educational Research features many empirical and theoretical based articles which can be of great benefit to every reader.
Factors Influencing the Career Choice of Undergraduate Science Education Students: Implication for Curriculum Studies and Lifelong Learning
This study investigated the factors influencing the career choice of undergraduate science education students and draws its implication for curriculum studies. The study was a survey research. The population of the study entails all 100 level undergraduate Science Education Students of the 2024/2025 academic session of the University of Benin, Benin City. A total of one- hundred and ninety-three (193) students cleared into the department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology, formed the sample of the study. The instrument for data collection was a likert scale questionnaire tagged “Career Choice Determining Factors” (CCDF) questionnaire. CCDF was validated by three lecturers from the Faculty of Education, University of Benin. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha statistics. A reliability of 0.76 was obtained. This instrument was use for data collection. Items in CCDF were scored and analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency, simple percentage and mean. Findings from this study revealed that Undergraduate Science Education students find themselves as teachers in trainee by co-incident. This is because they were offered admission against their choices. As a result, most of them do not want to develop their career in teaching. The implication of this is that these students which we devote our time, energy and resources to train and develop now, are seeking for any available opportunity to switch career. This is leaving a negative impact on curriculum delivery and continuing education in Nigeria. The recommendation of this study is that schools should ensure that students who are interested and applied to study science educational courses are given top priority in their academic choices as this will boost their readiness, interest and satisfaction for effective curriculum delivery. Keywords: Choice, Career, Career Choice, Passion, Force-choice, Curriculum Studies, Curriculum Delivery, Lifelong Learning.
Linking Organisational Climate to Students’ Academic Performance: Evidence from Lagos State Senior Secondary Schools, Nigeria
This study examined the relationship between organisational climate and students’ academic performance in Lagos State senior secondary schools, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design with a correlational approach to enable the collection and analysis of quantitative data on the relationship between the variables. The population comprised 8,956 teachers across 326 public senior secondary schools in Lagos State. A sample of 480 teachers was determined using the Taro Yamane formula, including an additional 20% to account for non-response. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed, involving the selection of 30 schools across six education districts and 16 teachers from each school. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and records observation. Organisational climate was measured using the adapted Organisational Climate Index (OCI) developed by Megan Tschannen-Moran (2006), while students’ academic performance was assessed through records of credit passes in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination from 2020 to 2022. The validity of the instrument was established through Confirmatory Factor Analysis, with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.944 and a significant Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity (χ²(45) = 16,154.902, p < .01). Reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.96, indicating excellent internal consistency. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), employing descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation and multiple regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed a significant positive relationship between organisational climate and students’ academic performance (r = 0.628, p < 0.05). Further analysis showed that community engagement emerged as the strongest positive predictor (β = 0.490), followed by collegial leadership (β = 0.285) and academic press (β = 0.275), while teacher professionalism showed a significant negative influence (β = −0.383). The study concluded that organisational climate is a major determinant of students’ academic performance. It was recommended that educational authorities promote policies that enhance collegial leadership, strengthen school-community partnerships, and foster supportive school environments to improve academic outcomes. Keywords: Organisational Climate, Students’ Academic Performance, Community Engagement, Collegial Leadership, Academic Press, Teacher Professionalism.
Influence of Secondary School Facilities Planning and Transformative Educational Management on the Utilization of Digital Tools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
This study examined the influence of secondary school facilities planning and transformative educational management on the utilization of digital tools in public secondary schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A correlational research design adopting an ex-post-facto approach was employed. The population comprised 3,699 teachers from 194 public secondary schools, from which a sample of 351 teachers was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan sampling technique. Data were collected using the School Facilities Planning and Utilization Questionnaire (SFPUQ), validated by experts in Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation from Faculty of Education, University of Benin. A reliability coefficient of 0.85 was established using Cronbach Alpha. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to answer research questions, while regression analysis tested the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that instructional, circulation, and convenience spaces in secondary schools were planned to a low extent, and their utilization was equally low. However, significant relationships were established between facilities planning and utilization. Instructional space planning accounted for 38.3% of the variance in utilization, circulation space planning explained 41.1%, while convenience space planning exerted the strongest influence, accounting for 51.2% of the variance. The study concludes that inadequate planning of school facilities significantly undermines their effective utilization, including digital tools, in secondary schools. It recommends comprehensive, inclusive, and context-sensitive school facility planning, strengthened supervision, and integration of digital infrastructure to enhance effective utilization and educational outcomes in Bayelsa State. Keywords: School Facility Planning, Instruction, Circulation and Convenience Spaces.
Comparative Effectiveness of Non-Formal Education Strategies in Reducing Social Vices among Nigerian Adolescents: Jingle, Movie and Crusade Initiatives
Social vices and restiveness among adolescents pose increasing risks to national security and social stability in Nigeria. non-formal educational strategies, which include the use of jingles, films, and crusades, represent possible behavioural strategies against social vices. However, there is no comparative assessment of the effectiveness of such programmes, especially considering the influence of gender and geographical locations on their efficacy. Therefore, this study aims to compare the effectiveness of jingle, film, and crusade programmes in preventing social vices among adolescents in Nigeria while accounting for the moderating effects of gender and geopolitical locations. The research adopted a mixed methods approach and used a pre-test-post-test quasi-experiment. A sample size of 1,200 adolescents (67% males and 33% females) who had dropped out of school was drawn from all six geopolitical regions of Nigeria. The participants were assigned nonrandomly to three different treatment groups based on the type of intervention: jingles, movies, and crusades. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) (α= 0.05), post hoc (Bonferroni) corrections, and partial η². The most common economic survival activities were casual labour (73.9%), vocational skills development (65.9%), and street vending (52.0%). The major perceived cause of youth restiveness were corruption (77.0%), failure of economic policies (76.0%) and poverty (72.0%). The three non-formal education programmes resulted in the significant decrease of social vices in the sample, with the largest effect seen in vices reduction (F(2,1197)=14,451.93, p<0.001, η²=0.969). The jingles intervention had the highest mean post-intervention scores compared to movies and crusades in all categories tested: survival activities (M=74.82), restiveness reduction (M=83.48) and vices curbing (M=64.75). Significant differences were found between all groups (p<0.001). The moderating effect of gender was detected on the variable restiveness reduction (F=4.20, p=0.041), but not on survival activities or vices reduction. Geopolitical location was another moderator for vices reduction (F=4.03, p=0.001); the biggest reduction was noted for North Central. It can be concluded that non-formal education strategies, especially jingles, are effective in preventing social vices. However, gender and geographical location were moderators of specific variables. Therefore, targeted approaches are recommended. For policymakers, it means investing in NFES programmes (mainly jingles), establishing centers for skill development, anti-corruption measures, etc. Keywords: Non-formal education; adolescent social vices; jingles; Nigeria; quasi- experimental; restiveness
Development and Assessment of Upper Basic Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Mathematics Knowledge Using Two-Tier Diagnostic Test in Kogi State, Nigeria
Assessment of students’ mathematics learning outcomes and instruments used in measuring the learning outcome are fundamental to the teaching and learning process of mathematics at the upper basic level of education. This study investigated development and assessment of upper basic students’ conceptual understanding of mathematics knowledge using two-tier diagnostic test in Kogi State Nigeria. The study adopted instrumentation design, the population of the study were all the (50, 851 upper basic students of Kogi state. The sample consist 668 upper basic students which were selected using multistage sampling techniques. Two-Tier Mathematics Diagnostic Test (TTMDT) was developed by the researchers in three stages. the instrument TTMDT was trial tested on students outside the target population to establish the reliability of the instrument. Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 was used to measure the internal consistency reliability of the instrument. Data collected were analyzed quantitatively using frequency counts and percentages as well as descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions. The hypotheses were tested using t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted partial credit model in scoring. The findings of the study indicates that two-tier diagnostic test is valid and reliable to distinguish students who understand the concepts from those who misunderstood, and with the use of Rasch analysis two-tier test items could be improved upon by rewording items that showed anomalies base on the individual-item fit. It was recommended that teachers should adopt two-tier diagnostic test in assessing their students in Mathematics. Keywords: Development, Two-Tier, Conceptual Understanding, Upper Basic, Diagnostic Test.
Predatory Publishing and Research Integrity Crisis: Implications for Sustainable Educational Development in African Higher Education
Predatory publishing has become an increasingly worrying issue in contemporary academia, thereby raising serious concerns about research integrity and the sustainability of higher education, especially in Africa. This study explored the growing research integrity crisis that is associated with predatory publishing and examined its implications for sustainable educational development in African higher education institutions. The study adopted a systematic literature review and conceptual analysis approach, drawing from peer-reviewed journal articles, institutional reports, and policy documents published between 2020 and 2026. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, relevant studies were identified, screened, and critically analysed to establish current trends, drivers, and consequences of predatory publishing practices within the environment of African higher education. The review revealed that intense pressure to publish, limited research funding, weak institutional monitoring systems, and inadequate awareness of predatory journals have contributed significantly to the increasing patronage of questionable publishers among scholars. The study further found that predatory publishing undermines academic credibility, weakens peer-review processes, reduces the quality of scholarly output, and negatively affects the global visibility of African research and researchers. Beyond its impact on individual researchers, the crisis poses broader challenges to educational quality, institutional reputation, and evidence-based policymaking. The study concludes that strengthening research ethics education, improving institutional regulatory frameworks, and promoting credible regional publishing platforms are essential for safeguarding research integrity and advancing sustainable educational development in African higher education. Keywords: Predatory publishing; Research integrity; Sustainable educational development; African higher education; Academic ethics; Research quality and Higher education sustainability
The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Teachers Education for Sustainable Development in Nigeria
This paper discussed the place of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teacher education for sustainable development in Nigeria. The main argument here is that the ICT environment in Nigeria needs to be enriched to ensure the training and development of teachers that are able to blend with the changing demands of teaching in the present era of globalisation with its emphasis on Information Communication Technology (ICT). The main critical issues identified as needing policy intervention here are teacher Information Communication Technology (ICT) access and competence. Some of the advantages of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on education for sustainable development are highly spelt out. The paper recommends enhancement of teacher access and competence through curriculum adaptation that will involve theoretical and practical exposures in Information Communication Technology (ICT) as part of teacher education programme and provision of access to computer and other ICT infrastructure to teachers on the field. Keywords: Information and Communication Technology, Teacher Education, Sustainable Development, Globalisation.
Environmental Variables and Adolescent Behavioural and Emotional Outcomes in Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Nigeria
Influence of Environmental Factors on Adolescent Behavioural and Emotional Outcomes in Ogun State Secondary Schools, Nigeria. This study examined how environmental factors influence adolescents’ behavioural and emotional outcomes in secondary schools in Ogun State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population is comprised of senior secondary school students in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of Ogun State. Using stratified random sampling, 150 students aged 13-19 were selected from three schools, one from each location. Data was collected using a researcher-developed instrument, the Environmental Variables and Behavioural Patterns Inventory [EVBPI], a 36-item questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale. The instrument had a Cronbach’s alpha reliability of 0.82. Hypotheses were tested using one-way ANOVA for location effects and two-way ANOVA for interaction effects at 0.05 significance level. Findings showed a significant difference in behavioural and emotional outcomes across urban, semi-urban, and rural locations [F(2,147) = x.xx, p < .05]. Specifically, students in urban areas reported higher incidence of disruptive behaviour, while those in rural areas scored higher on emotional resilience. No significant interaction effect was found between location and gender. The study concludes that school and neighbourhood environment significantly shape adolescent behaviour and emotion. It recommends that the Ministry of Education and school administrators strengthen counselling services, improve school environments, and implement location-specific intervention programmes. Professional counsellors should design coping strategies tailored to the environmental challenges faced by students in each location. Keywords: Environmental variables, adolescence, school, emotional, behavioural pattern, output
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence Tools for Sustainable Entrepreneurship Skills in Clothing and Textile Education: A Study of Vocational Education Institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria
Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools for sustainable entrepreneurship skills in clothing and textile education was a study of vocational institutions in Lagos state, Nigeria. Conducted among 225 respondents from three (3) tertiary institutions offering clothing and textile as a course. Two research questions and two (2) hypothesis guided the study, it was a descriptive survey design, and the instrument for the data collected was a structure questionnaire containing 29 questions which was further subjected to face validity by three experts. The data was analyzed using, mean, Chi square and Friedman’s test. The result revealed that 225(100%) of the respondent answered yes, student are trained in practical skills, 150(66.7%) answered yes, vocational students are equipped with digital skills, 210(93.3%) answered yes, harmful practice to the environment is taught, 210 (93.3%) answered yes, clothing and textiles is a sustainable entrepreneurship education. 205 (91.1%) answered yes, teachers are using creative methods for student, 160 (71.1%) answered yes, one of these methods is using (AI). Majority 175(77.8%) answered yes, AI is used for fashion designing. 160 (71.1%) answered yes AI tools are used to forecast. Majority 130(57.8%) yes AI is used to enhance supply chain. Majority 180(80%) answered yes AI is a tool for sustainable entrepreneurship education skills in clothing and textiles. In conclusion AI tools has insignificantly contributed to sustainable entrepreneurship in clothing and textiles. It is recommended that students need to be properly trained and equipped in handling these tools by teachers to be prepared for the job market. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence Tools, Clothing and Textiles Education, Entrepreneurship Skills, Leveraging, Sustainable.
Nexus between the Place of Technology in Science Teaching and Theoretical Foundations of Science Teaching in Nigerian Secondary School: Past, Present, and Future
This paper discusses the Nexus Between the Place of Technology in Science Teaching and the theoretical foundations of Science Teaching in Nigerian secondary schools, from traditional methods to contemporary digital technologies. It also examines persistent challenges, including inadequate infrastructure and teacher capacity gaps, and explores emerging trends such as mobile learning, virtual laboratories, and artificial intelligence applications. The paper suggests that strategic investment in infrastructure, comprehensive teacher professional development, and context-appropriate technology solutions is critical for transforming science education in Nigerian secondary schools. Keywords: Technology, Theoretical Foundations of Science Education, Nigerian Secondary Schools, Digital Learning, Pedagogical Innovation
Examination Malpractice: The Bane of the 21st Century Nigerian Higher Institutions
Examination malpractice has been a serious threat to the survival of the Nigerian higher education. It poses a serious challenge to the 21st century Nigerian higher institutions. Examination Malpractices has been entrenched in our educational system that many higher institutions in Nigeria are ready to spend any amount of money to stamp it out. It however, appears to have defied any solution. This has resulted in many graduates of Nigerian higher institutions rated very low in terms of job performance and academic prowess, since many of them are regarded as product of large-scale examination malpractice with cheap certificates. The problem has placed the country in a precarious situation which is regrettable and needs immediate attention. The paper therefore examined examination malpractice as the bane of 21st century Nigeria higher institutions. The paper discussed the forms of examination malpractice, Causes and Effects of examination malpractice and ways of eliminating it in Nigerian higher institutions. The paper concluded that though examinations in Nigerian higher institutions have been denigrated, there will be no alternative to examinations in Nigerian higher institutions since it is the only route to certification of a student’s character and learning. The following recommendations were made. There should be enough invigilators/ lecturers during examinations to avoid the current situation where some students start examination in their own hall much earlier than the other halls for the same course due to lack of enough invigilators. And examination must start on schedule in all the halls to avoid students running away with answer scripts to another hall or into the bush. There is need for the government to properly equip all Nigerian higher institutions to avoid congestion in examination halls as well as avoid situations where students share desks and question paper because they do not have enough. Adequate security should be provided for all examination material and invigilators to avoid leakage either before or during examinations among others. Keywords: Examination Malpractice, Forms, Causes, Effects, Ways of eliminating Examination Malpractice
Combined Effects of Thinkpair - Share and Blended Learning on Senior Secondary Schools Students’ Performance in Geometry in Kogi State, Nigeria
This study investigated effects of Think Pair Share and Blended learning Strategies on Students’ Academic Performances in Geometry in Senior Secondary Schools in Kogi State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The research adopted a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design. The population comprised 12,703 SS II Mathematics students from public secondary schools, with a sample size of 344 (180 males and 164 females) students selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. One instrument Geometry Performance Test (GPT) was used for data collection. The instrument was face validated by three experts in Science Education Department (two experts from Mathematics Education Units/One expert from Measurement and Evaluation). In order to ensure the reliability of the instruments, 30 copies of GPT were trial tested on senior secondary school students that were not part of the sampled schools. The reliability of Geometry Performance Test (GPT) was determine using Kuder Richardson Formula 20 (K-R20) and the reliability coefficient index 0.78 was obtained. The data collected was analyzed with respect to research questions and hypotheses. Mean and standard deviation was used in answering the research questions. For testing the null hypotheses formulated for the study, the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that the variation in students’ academic performance in Geometry is significantly accounted for by the instructional strategies used. The results showed that both Think-Pair-Share and Blended Learning strategies significantly improved students' academic performance in Geometry compared to the conventional method. It was recommended that Parents should encourage their children to rely more on the scientific conception of the instructional strategies used in the geometry subject, thus discouraging them from holding on to their wrong believe towards Geometry and Mathematics teachers should use Think-pair Share and blended learning in teaching geometry. Keywords: Think pair share, blended, learning Geometry, performance.
Creative Expression as an Emotional Scaffold: Alleviating Affective Barriers in Second Language Acquisition in Tertiary Institutions
Affective barriers such as anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, low self-confidence, and communication apprehension continue to hinder effective second language acquisition among students in tertiary institutions. This study examined creative expression as an emotional scaffold for alleviating affective barriers in second language acquisition among undergraduate students in selected Nigerian tertiary institutions, including the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, and Federal College of Education, Abeokuta. The study adopted a mixed-methods descriptive survey design involving 240 undergraduate students studying French, English, Arabic, and other language-related courses. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Findings revealed that creative expression through drama, music, storytelling, poetry, role-play, painting, and digital creative activities significantly reduced learners’ anxiety levels and improved emotional engagement during language learning processes. Students reported increased classroom participation, enhanced communication confidence, improved pronunciation practice, and greater willingness to interact in the target language. The findings further indicated that creative arts activities fostered collaborative learning environments that minimized fear of making mistakes and encouraged spontaneous language use. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges such as inadequate instructional resources, insufficient lecturer training, rigid curriculum structures, and limited institutional support affected the effective implementation of arts-based language pedagogies. The study concludes that creative expression functions as an important emotional scaffold capable of supporting learners psychologically and academically during second language acquisition. It therefore recommends the integration of arts-based pedagogical approaches into tertiary language curricula, professional training for language educators in creative instructional methods, and increased institutional support for interdisciplinary teaching practices. Keywords: Creative expression, emotional scaffold, affective barriers, second language acquisition, arts-based pedagogy, tertiary institutions
Impact of Age at Admission on Academic Performance and School Adjustment of Undergraduates in a Public University in Nigeria
Nigeria is among countries of the world where younger students are now gaining admission into tertiary institutions. Recent admission age policy made by the Federal Government of Nigeria to peg admission age of new university entrants into 16 years and arguments that trailed the policy prompted this study. This study was embarked upon to empirically examine impact of admission age on performance and school adjustment of undergraduates in a Nigerian University. Descriptive survey and ex-post facto were the research designs used for this study. All newly admitted students into Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko for 2023/2024 academic session constituted the population of the study. The sample for the study comprised 240 100-level undergraduate students randomly selected from the six faculties of the university. A self-constructed validated instrument (r = 0.79) titled “Students Academic and Social Adjustment Questionnaire” and a proforma were used to collect data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated that majority of undergraduate students have moderate level of school adjustment 137(57.1%). Age has significant impact on academic performance (t = 2.36, p< 0.05) and school adjustment (t = 2.20, P< 0.05) of undergraduate students. Sequel to the findings of this research work, it was concluded that age has something to do with the academic performance and school adjustment of undergraduate students. It was recommended among others that mature candidates should henceforth be given admission to enter public universities in Nigeria. Special universities should be established to admit under-age students that are talented. Keywords: Admission age, academic performance, school adjustment, undergraduate students
The Nature and Operation of Colonial Education in Benin Province and The Benin Women’s Response
This paper examines the nature and operation of colonial education in Benin and how the Benin woman embraced this innovation. The colonial period has been interpreted by Africans as non-beneficial to Africans and portrayed colonial rule as being destructive of the admirable and prestigious status of the Benin woman in the pre-colonial period. The traditions and cultural constraints on women hindered female education in her early days in Benin. Parents saw female education in Benin as a waste of resources and also would encourage resentment and disrespect of parental authority. Education for the girl child during the pre-colonial period was designed to make them primarily an effective mothers and housewives. Hence, girls were brought up in a traditional family set-up to be passive, obedient, and always submissive to men. This paper insists that the inadequate provision of school and security for the girls due to the location of the school by the colonial administration was not the only factor responsible for her formal education, but the delay by her traditional society in accepting female education had a far-reaching effect on her educational status. Keywords: Benin Division, Native Administration, Colonial Education, Benin Woman, Church Missionary Society
A Semiotic Analysis of Educational Symbols and School Identity in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Oyo East Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria
Signs and symbols are fundamental to human communication. They are regarded as the means through which meaning is constructed, negotiated and transmitted. Educational symbolic elements contribute to the creation of school identity. The issue of identity construction in schools have gained relevance in recent research; but there is still limited gap given to semiotic functions in meaning making as it relates to educational symbols. This study carries out a semiotic analysis of educational symbols in selected public secondary schools in Oyo East Local Government Area of Oyo State. The study is anchored on the integration of Social Semiotics Theory by Kress and Van Leeuwen and Peircean Semiotic theory by Charles Sanderson Peirce. This integration is adopted to ensure an in-depth framework for the analysis of the educational symbols in a bid to provide analytical precision. The study adopted a qualitative research design. The population of the study is made up of all secondary schools in Oyo East Local Government Area. Three schools were selected through purposive sampling. Data for the study were gotten from the visual and textual elements namely school logos and uniform colours. The findings of the study reveals that the logo and uniform of the selected schools function as complementary semiotic resources in the construction of institutional identity. Drawing on Peircean Semiotics, the visual elements of the logo—such as the shield, crossed tools, circular frame, and textual inscriptions operate predominantly as symbols, relying on shared cultural values. From a Social Semiotics perspective, the meaning potential of these elements is realised through multimodality, where visual, linguistic, and colour modes interact to produce a unified message. The symbols help in the construction of institutional identity among the educational edifices. The study concludes that school visual identities are not merely decorative, but are loaded with ideological depth and create a system of communication that actively shape how institutions are perceived and understood within their social contexts. Keywords: Semiotics, Educational Symbols, Identity Construction.
Institutional Practices and Youth Entrepreneurial Development Skills in Federal College of Education Technical Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria
This study investigates institutional practices and youth entrepreneurial development skills at the Federal College of Education Technical, Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria. It develops the literature; unlike previous descriptive studies, it hypothesized that the relevance of the curriculum, the quality of training delivery, and structured industrial partnerships have a positive and significant impact on youth entrepreneurial development skills. This study used descriptive survey research, with 293 staff across the eight schools as the population, and a sample size of 169 was determined using Taro Yamane's formula. This study employs a proportional stratified random sampling to ensure a fair representation across the schools. Employing multiple regression analysis through SPSS 25, it reveals that the relevance of the curriculum (β = 0.456, p = 0.000) and formal industry partnerships (β = 0.473, p = 0.000) have a positive and significant impact on youth entrepreneurial development skills, whereas the quality of training delivery (β = 0.093, p = 0.249) has an insignificant impact. This study concludes that the degree of skills impact on the youth entrepreneurial development skills at FCET Gusau is largely influenced by the institutional practices. Curriculum relevance and meaningful industrial relationships are very important in entrepreneurship skills, but mere quality training delivery can never succeed effectively without the right resources and working infrastructure. One of the major recommendations of this study is that the management should enhance and formalise collaboration with other industries, particularly the local SMEs and agribusinesses, to enhance youth entrepreneurial development skills. Keywords: Entrepreneurship Skill, Curriculum Relevance, Industrial Partnership, Institutional Practice, Training Quality.
Development of Machine Learning Models for Sentiment Analysis of University Students' Opinions on NELFUND
This study investigated students’ perceptions of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) at Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, concentrating on issues pertaining to the transparency of loan disbursement and perceived advantages, which influence students’ confidence in the programme. A sentiment analysis methodology was utilised, employing opinion datasets classified into transparency and benefits attributes, with polarity levels predominantly indicating positive sentiments. Data preprocessing encompassed cleaning, tokenisation, part-of-speech tagging, stop-word elimination, stemming, and lemmatisation to enhance data quality. Feature extraction was performed utilising Term Frequency–Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) and count vectorisation methods. Sentiment classification utilised the VADER model, and five machine learning algorithms, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes (NB), Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were assessed based on accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score metrics. The findings indicated that in terms of transparency-related sentiments, SVM, RF, and XGBoost consistently surpassed NB and LR. Regarding benefits-related sentiments, Random Forest and Support Vector Machine demonstrated optimal performance for both negative and positive polarities. The findings indicate predominantly favourable student perceptions of NELFUND and illustrate the efficacy of advanced machine learning models in analysing policy-related opinions in educational finance. Keywords: Educational Finance Policy, Extreme Gradient Boosting, Natural Language Processing, Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Sentiment Analysis
Association Between Categories of Daily Sitting Time and Reporting Lack of Facilities as a Barrier to Physical Activity among Staff of Colleges of Education in Borno State, Nigeria
This study investigated the association between categories of daily sitting time (<4 hours, 4–8 hours, and >8 hours) and reporting lack of facilities as a barrier to physical activity among staff of Colleges of Education in Borno State, Nigeria. A correlational research design was employed, involving 285 staff members recruited from two government-owned Colleges of Education in Borno State: College of Education, Waka-Biu (n=130, 44.1%) and Umar Ibn Ibrahim El-Kanemi College of Education, Science and Technology, Bama (n=165, 55.9%) during the 2022/2023 academic session. Participants were selected through multi-stage sampling procedures including purposive sampling for institution selection, simple random sampling for departmental selection, and accidental sampling for respondent recruitment. Data were collected using a researcher-developed, validated questionnaire titled "Self-Reported Daily Sitting Time and Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity among Staff of Tertiary Institutions," which demonstrated satisfactory reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81) following pilot testing. The questionnaire comprised two sections: Section A elicited demographic information including age, gender, marital status, educational qualification, staff category, designation, length of service, working hours, income, residence, transportation mode, and medical conditions; Section B assessed self-reported daily sitting time categories and perceived barriers to physical activity using a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations) for demographic characteristics and chi-square analysis to test the association between daily sitting time categories and reporting lack of facilities as a barrier at 0.05 level of significance. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant association between daily sitting time categories and reporting lack of facilities as a barrier (χ² = 6.254, df = 2, p = 0.044), leading to rejection of the null hypothesis at the 0.05 significance level. This finding indicates that staff members with prolonged daily sitting time, particularly those sitting for more than 8 hours, were disproportionately more likely to perceive lack of facilities as a significant barrier to physical activity participation compared to their counterparts with shorter sitting durations. This study provides empirical evidence of a statistically significant association between daily sitting time and reporting lack of facilities as a barrier to physical activity among staff of Colleges of Education in Borno State, Nigeria. Based on these significant findings it was recommended thatCollege of Education administrators, institutional management boards, and relevant government agencies should prioritize the development, enhancement, and maintenance of comprehensive physical activity infrastructure and recreational facilities as foundational components of workplace health promotion programmes, including establishing on-campus fitness centres, creating designated walking paths, providing outdoor exercise equipment, developing multi-purpose sports facilities, and ensuring accessibility, maintenance, and convenient operating hours Keywords: Daily sitting time, sedentary behaviour, lack of facilities, physical activity barriers, workplace health promotion, College of Education staff.
Artificial Intelligence Utilization as a Correlate of Management Effectiveness in Public Tertiary Institutions in Edo State, Nigeria
The increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education presents significant opportunities for improving institutional management; however, empirical evidence on its utilization and relationship with management effectiveness in Nigerian tertiary institutions remains limited. This study examined the relationship between Artificial Intelligence utilization and management effectiveness in public tertiary institutions in Edo State, Nigeria. Anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model and Systems Theory, the study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised academic staff, non-teaching staff, and students from Federal and State-owned tertiary institutions in Edo State, from which a sample of 300 respondents was selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected using the validated and pilot-tested Artificial Intelligence Utilization and Management Effectiveness Questionnaire (AIUMEQ) and analysed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the level of Artificial Intelligence utilization in the institutions was low, while management effectiveness was moderate. The study further established a statistically significant positive relationship between Artificial Intelligence utilization and management effectiveness, indicating that institutions with higher levels of AI Utilization tended to demonstrate better planning, communication, coordination, monitoring, and decision-making processes. The study concluded that Artificial Intelligence utilization is positively associated with management effectiveness and represents a strategic resource for enhancing institutional administration. It recommended increased investment in AI infrastructure, capacity building, and policy frameworks to promote the effective integration and utilization of AI technologies into tertiary institution management and improve organisational effectiveness. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Management Effectiveness, Public Tertiary Institutions, Educational Management, Technology Utilization.
The Impact of Some Psychosocial Factors on the Career Interest of Some Secondary School Adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria
The study examined the impact of some psychosocial factors on the career interest of some secondary school adolescents in lbadan, Oyo state. Participants included 500 secondary school adolescents in SS I1 classes from 10 schools in lbadan metropolis. The Psychosocial Correlates of Career Interest Scale (PCCIS) developed by the researchers with r = 0.69 was used as an instrument for data collection. Two hypotheses were stated and tested at .05 significant level using mean, standard deviation, intercorrelation matrix, and multiple regression statistical tools. The results indicated that self-concept, self-efficacy and parental influence correlate significantly with adolescents' career interest, and that all the variables significantly predict and contribute to career interest of the adolescents. It was recommended that career counsellors, career psychologists and parents should endeavour to expose the adolescents to more career options, because their knowledge of different occupations may be limited. Keywords: Career, Career Interest, Interest, Adolescent, Psychological factors.
Information Communication Technology Utilisation for Serial and Bibliographic Routines in Federal University Libraries in North East, Nigeria
The study examined Information Communication Technology Utilisation for Serial and Bibliographic Routines in Federal University Libraries in North- East, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives, three research questions and two null hypotheses. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. Three hundred and ninety-six (399) librarians and paraprofessional librarians from the six federal university libraries in northeastern Nigeria made up the study's population. Using the census sampling technique, the study's sample size is 399. A questionnaire was employed as the research instrument of this study. Tagged, “Information Communication Technology Utilisation for Serial and Bibliographic Routines Questionnaire” (ICTSBRQ). The questionnaire was based on a four-point rating scale. The instrument was face validated. Two research questions were answered using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The two null hypotheses were also tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at .05 level of significance. Based on the findings, it was concluded that there is relationship between ICT utilisation for serial and bibliographic routines in federal university libraries in North East, Nigeria. It was recommended that appropriate ICT facilities should be provided by the management of the libraries under study for easier and successful serial and bibliographic routines. Librarians should also have positive attitude towards ICT utilisation for effective serial and bibliographic routines in federal university libraries in North East, Nigeria. Keywords: Information Communication Technology, ICT utilization, effective serial and bibliographic routines, federal university libraries, North East, Nigeria.
Art-based Pedagogical Interventions: Mitigating Second Language Anxiety among University Undergraduates in Southwest, Nigeria
Second language anxiety negatively affects undergraduate students’ confidence, participation, and communicative competence in language classrooms. This study examined the effectiveness of art-based pedagogical interventions in reducing second language anxiety among undergraduates in the University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Tai Solarin University of Education, Nigeria. A mixed-methods design was adopted, involving 180 purposively selected students identified through classroom observation and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). The twelve-week intervention integrated drama, storytelling, music, visual arts, and collaborative creative activities into second language instruction. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test analysis, while qualitative responses were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that art-based pedagogical interventions significantly reduced communication apprehension and improved students’ confidence, participation, and motivation toward second language learning. The study concludes that arts-integrated instructional strategies create supportive learning environments that enhance language acquisition and reduce anxiety among university undergraduates. It therefore recommends the integration of creative arts approaches into university language teaching and curriculum design. Keywords: Art-based Pedagogy, Second Language Anxiety, Language Learning, University Undergraduates, Nigeria.