Effect of using agricultural teaching resources on the acquisition of agricultural skills by certificate in agriculture trainees in technical institutions in the Western Kenya region

John Wesonga Manyali; Alice Ndiema Chesambu; Erick Wekesa Wangila; Jacob Wakhungu Wanambacha

doi:10.51867/ajernet.7.1.75

Authors

John Wesonga Manyali
johnmanyali62@gmail.com
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya
Alice Ndiema Chesambu Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4153-5637
Erick Wekesa Wangila Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya
Jacob Wakhungu Wanambacha Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4381-2618

Keywords:

Agricultural Skills, Certificate Agriculture Trainees, Teaching Resources, TIVET Institutions

Abstract

There exists a positive relationship between agricultural productivity and the quality of agricultural education offered in learning institutions of a country. However, increasing agricultural productivity has been limited by access to quality extension services and the failure of farmers to embrace new farming technologies. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of agricultural teaching resources on the acquisition of agricultural skills by certificate agriculture trainees in technical training institutions in Western Kenya. The methodological behaviorism theory guided the study, assuming that all the resources considered as the source of stimuli were available to the learners. The study employed cross-correlational study designs. A stratified random sample of 269 certificates in agriculture trainees from 12 TVET institutions in western Kenya were proportionally selected from a sampling frame of 890 trainees. A pretested questionnaire and a key informant interview guide were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using both descriptive (percentages, means, modes, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (regression analysis, ANOVA, chi-square, and t-test) with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 26) software. The results show that the level of agricultural skills acquired by certificate in agriculture trainees in TVET institutions was of medium level (M=3.13, SD=.253) on a scale of 0 to 5. The level of acquired agricultural skill by the trainees was positively affected by the use of demonstration farms (β=.527, t=10.12, p <.001), use of agricultural workshops (β=.457, t=22.33, p <.001), use of agricultural laboratories (β=.807, t=22.33, p <.001), and use of agricultural libraries (β=.509, t=22.33, p <.001). The teaching resource that was highly utilized by the TVET institutions was demonstration farms (M=4.02, SD=.43), followed by agricultural workshops (M=2.94, SD=.29). The study concluded that all four teaching resources were useful in skill development. The study recommended that there be a need to equip and improve the quality of the teaching resources and train instructors in TVET institutions to enhance their use of technology and enable them to transfer agricultural skills to the certificate in agriculture trainees.

Dimensions

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