Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Skill Development in Physics Education: Implications from Secondary School Teachers' and Students' in Anambra State.

Abstract

This study evaluated secondary school teachers' and students' experiences in entrepreneurial skills in Physics in Anambra State. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. 6,745 physics students and 27 Physics teachers in 21 public secondary schools in Onitsha North and Oyi local government areas formed the population of the study. A census of 27 Physics teachers were used for the study while a simple random sampling technique was used to sample 673 physics students for the study. Five research questions were posed to guide the study. The instrument used in data collection was titled “Physics and Entrepreneurial Skills: Evaluation of Teachers' and Students' Experiences in Secondary Schools Questionnaire”. Face and content validity of the instrument were carried out by experts in Physics education and measurement and evaluation. Test-retest and Cronbach Alpha methods of reliability were employed to test the stability and internal consistency of the items. A reliability coefficient obtained forthe selected Physics teachers were 0.81 and the sampled Physics students were 0.78 respectively. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Results from the study revealed that simple a.c circuit, heat energy measurement, electrical continuity testing, battery, electromagnetic fluid, principles of fluctuation, potential energy, electric field, fluid at rest and in motion, solar collector are topics in physics that could expose students to entrepreneurial skills. The study also revealed that students acquired entrepreneurial skills such as electric installations and wiring, load calculations, repair of generators and household appliances, installation and maintenance of solar panels. It was recommended that students should be engaged in student-centered and active process of learning such as discoveries, hands-on and minds-on activities as to enable students discover and create entrepreneurial skills themselves as well galvanizing students' intentions to become economically empowered.