DETERMINATION OF STRATEGIES FOR ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF WORKSHOPS FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY (A CASE STUDY OF IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, RIVERS STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The primary purpose of the teaching and learning process is to bring about in the learner desirable change in behavior through critical thinking and innovation. This process does not take place in a vacuum but rather in an environment structured to facilitate learning. Stoner,Freeman and Gilbert (1996) described the environment of an organization as all elements relevant to its operation and they include direct and indirect action elements. School facilities like school workshops constitute the major components of both direct and indirect action elements in the environment of learning. Several studies have shown that a close relationship exists between the physical environment and the academic performance of students. Nwagwu (2008) and Ogunsaju (1990) maintained that the quality of education that children receive bears direct relevance to the availability or lack thereof of physical facilities like school workshops and overall atmosphere in which learning takes place. These facilities play pivotal role in the actualization of the educational goals and objectives by satisfying the physical and emotional needs of the staff and students of the school. Knezevich (1995) emphasized that the physical needs are met through provision of safe structure, adequate sanitary facilities, a balanced visual environment, appropriate thermal environment, and sufficient shelter space for his work and play. His emotional needs are met by creating pleasant surroundings, a friendly atmosphere, and an inspiring environment.

The educational system has undergone tremendous changes in the form of its philosophy, broadened goals and objectives,new approaches to service delivery and architectural design, quantum leap in school enrollment, multiplicity of curricula programmes andextra-curricula activities, introduction of technical education and expanded academic support services such as guidance services to
students, teachers and the community, integration of the school and community. The resultant effect of all these changes is the need for creative and innovative steps in the management of School workshops. For example, research findings have shown that students learn better when a combination of methods and materials are employed during teaching. Furthermore, emphasis has shied towards giving individual attention to students as against teaching large classes which presupposes that all students in a class have the ability to learn at the same pace.

The implication of the foregoing is that in designing Workshop, provision should be made for individual and small group interaction and for large groups for academic and social activities. Fenker (2004) stated that facilities management which includes workshop maintenance is a process that ensures that buildings and other technical systems support the operations of an organization. The International Facilities Management Association (2002) asserts that facilities management is the practice of co-ordination of the physical workplace like school workshops with the people and the work of the organization; it integrates the principles of business administration,architecture and the behavioral and engineering sciences. School workshops maintenance is the application of scientific and practical methods in the planning, organizing and taking adequate care of the workshops in other to enhance instructional delivery thus improving teaching and learning.

Statement Of The General Problem
Workshop maintenance is an inevitable administrative role of a school administrator. It is an intellectually demanding job which requires combined talent and activities of an educational administrator. Proper Workshop maintenance is necessary to provide a satisfactory learning environment, ensures the usefulness of facilities for as long a possible, controls expenditure and improves the general atmosphere of a school for effective teaching and learning operations. However, as a result of inadequate financing of educational institutions coupled with negligence of administrative roles by some school administrators due to sheer apathy, some tertiary institutions in Nigeria fail to adoptproper Workshop maintenance strategies thus leading to the poor performance of students.

Aims and Objectives

The major aim of the study is to examine the strategies for adequate maintenance of workshops for To examine the level of workshop maintenance  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state.  Specifically, the study is designed to identify:

1. The workshop planning techniques needed by teachers for improving Instructional delivery  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state.
2. The workshop organizing techniques needed by teachers for improving instructional delivery in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state.
3. The workshop coordinating techniques needed by teachers for improving instructional delivery in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state.
4. The workshop techniques for implementing workshop instruction needed by teachers for improving Instructional delivery  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state.

Research Questions

The study sought answers to the following research questions:

1. What are the workshop planning techniques needed by teachers for improving  Instructional delivery  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state?
2. What are the workshop organizing techniques needed by teachers for improving Instructional delivery  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state?
3. What are the workshop coordinating techniques needed by teachers for improving Instructional delivery  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state?
4. What are the workshop implementing techniques needed by teachers for improving Instructional delivery  in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state?

Research Hypothesis

H0: There are significantly no different strategies for adequate maintenance of workshops for effective instructional delivery.
H1: There are significantly different strategies for adequate maintenance of workshops for effective instructional delivery.

Significance Of The Study
The study would be of immense importance towards the improvement of teaching and learning in educational institutions with the sole aim of improving academic performance through effective Instructional delivery. The study would also benefit students, researchers and
scholars who are interested in developing further studies on the subject matter through the provision of relevant literature

Scope of the Study

The subjects of the research will constitute all lecturers in Ignatius ajuru university of education, rivers state.