AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES USED BY LECTURERS IN THE TEACHING OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated entrepreneurship education and curriculum implementation strategies in universities in Rivers State. One research question guided the study whereas a hypothesis was tested. The study adopted the descriptive design. The population of the study were the entrepreneurial studies lecturers in the three public universities in Rivers State. A sample size of 30 lecturers from entrepreneurship and business related departments/faculties were purposively sampled in the three universities in Rivers State namely: University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. The validated questionnaire instrument used for the study had a reliability index of 0.81, using Cronbach alpha statistical test. Mean was used to analyse the data to address the research question, whereas t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. Findings of the study revealed that ‘group project’, ‘case study’ and ‘assigning projects to students and supporting them’ are the most appropriate strategies for teaching entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level. Recommendations made among others include that: adequate funds should be provided for universities and other higher institutions in order to enable them provide infrastructures and manpower requirements for effective implementation of entrepreneurship education curriculum, universities authorities should workout modalities for institutionalizing activity-based and pragmatic methods of learning entrepreneurship with a view to maximizing the benefits inherent in entrepreneurship.