INFLUENCE OF LECTURERS’ INCIVILITY ON THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE BY OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT STUDENTS IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNICS IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

Abstract

 

The study ascertained the influence of lecturers’ incivility on the knowledge acquisition of office technology and management students. The descriptive survey research design was used. The study was conducted in federal polytechnics in South East of Nigeria using a population of 950 OTM students. A sample size of 240 respondents was used. The researcher designed and used a set of duly validated questionnaire titled Influence of Lecturers’ Incivility on the Acquisition of Knowledge by OTM Students Questionnaire (ILIAKOTMSQ). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the three research questions and independent z-test was used to test the two null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings indicated that use of intimidating language by lecturers influence students’ learning negatively; expression of hostility by lecturers affect students’ consistent attendance to classes; lecturer’s  mocking affects the concentration of OTM students in skills acquisition. Findings based on test of hypotheses indicated that there was no significance difference in the mean ratings of male and female students on the influence of use of intimidating languages by lecturers on their learning and that HND and ND students mean responses did not differ significantly on the ways lecturers’ mocking affects the concentration of OTM students in skills acquisition. It was therefore concluded that if the objective of business education which OTM is an aspect of must be achieved, lecturers’ uncivil attitude should not be overlooked or treated with a wave of hand since it affects students’ emotional and physical wellbeing and therefore does not make for the enthusiasm and vitality required in teaching and learning processes. The recommendation among others is that heads of department of office technology and management programmes should organize seminars and symposia to sensitize lecturers on the need for civil behaviours and the inherent danger in passing down uncivil attitude to our students who will become leaders of tomorrow.

 Key Words: Incivility, mocking, bullying, behaviour, learning environment.