INFLUENCE OF COGNITIVE PEDAGOGICAL CHALLENGES ON SOFT SKILLS ACQUISITION OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

The general aim of this empirical research is to determine the influence of cognitive pedagogical challenges on soft skills acquisition of Business Education students in Rivers State universities. The study was properly guided by three research questions which were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 levels of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study is 1,325 under graduate Business Education students in Rivers State. The total population comprise of 691, 588 and 46 Business Education students from Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and University of Port-Harcourt respectively. The Taro Yamane sample size formula was used to determine the sample size of 307. The sampling technique used is the stratified simple random sampling technique. The face and content validation of the research instrument was meticulously carried out. Data for this study were collected using a self-designed compound questionnaire instrument which was developed from existing literature. The questionnaire instrument is entitled: “Cognitive Pedagogical Problems and Soft Skills Acquisition Questionnaire” (COPPSSAQ). COPPSSAQ is not a standardized instrument since it was developed personally by the researcher. The reliability of the instrument was established using Spearman Ranking Order. The computation produced a reliability coefficient of 0.82. 290 copies of questionnaire instruments were retrieved out of the 307 copies distributed. For the research question, data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while the null hypotheses were also analyzed using z-test statistics. Decision was taken on the basis that any mean above 2.50 was accepted and any mean score below 2.50 was rejected. The null hypotheses were accepted if the z-critical was greater than the z-calculated and rejected if the z-critical was lesser than z-calculated. The study reveals among other things that; lack of attention, loss of memory and the inability to comprehend ideas and concepts are among the cognitive pedagogical challenges stifling the soft skills acquisition of business education students in Rivers State universities. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers recommended that; Business education students should endeavour to reflect on the skills acquired immediately they are taught by the business educators.

Key Words: Pedagogy, Cognitive pedagogy, Pedagogical challenges, Skills acquisition, Business Education