ENHANCEMENT OF DIGITAL SKILLS THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING IN ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOG EDUCATION AMONG TVET LECTURERS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN ABIA STATE

By L. Obi & F. Nwanneka

Abstract: The study determined the techniques needed in enhancing digital skills through lifelong learning in electrical/electronics technology education among TVET lecturers in tertiary institutions in Abia State. The study answered two research questions and two hypotheses. Descriptive survey research was adopted for the study. The population of study was 43 respondents, comprising of 23 Electronical/Electronics Engineering Lecturers and 20 Electronical/Electronics Engineering Technology Lecturers from the state. All the population was used as sample due to its manageable size; total population sampling technique was used. A 17 – item structured questionnaire titled, ‘Enhancement of digital skills through lifelong learning in electrical/electronics technology education’ was used for data collection; which was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was 0.82 established using Cronbach Alpha. The questionnaire items were generated from the review of the related literature; all the questionnaire administered were returned. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using T-test. Mean of 3.50 or above was considered for the agreed items. Result of study revealed 10 digital skill needs of electrical/ electronics technology education TVET lecturers in tertiary institutions and 7 strategies of inculcation of digital skills in electrical / electronics technology education TVET lecturers in tertiary institutions through lifelong learning. In conclusion, electrical/ electronics technology education TVET lecturers’ digital skills needs are in the area of basic computer literacy skills, information and communication technology, cloud computing among others. In addition to digital simulation, immersive technologies; and teaching, assessment and evaluation technologies; in addition to AI, DevOps, industry 4.0/5.0 technologies coupled with other strategies of inculcation of digital skills in electrical / electronics technology education TVET lecturers in tertiary institution through lifelong learning. Consequently, it was recommended that, all the determined digital skills relevant to electrical / electronics technology education universities’ lecturers should be enshrine into the curriculum of undergraduate students; and industrial collaboration and partnership with TVET institutions and government or private companies should be strengthened.
Keywords: University, TVET, Electrical/ Electronics Technology. Digital skills and Lifelong