Digital Pedagogy Competencies Required of Lecturers for Improving Skills Acquisition among Students for Employment in Electrical and Electronic Technology Industries in Southwest Nigeria
Abstract
This study explored the digital teaching competencies that lecturers need to help students in electrical and electronic technology programs to acquire the practical skills required for employment in today's industry. Using a descriptive survey approach, data were gathered from 60 participants 40 university lecturers and 20 industry professionals selected through purposive sampling. A carefully developed and validated questionnaire (reliability = 0.85) served as the main instrument for data collection. The analysis involved both descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent t-test), with a significance level set at 0.05. Results indicated that lecturers demonstrated a moderate level of digital pedagogy skills (grand mean = 3.13), showing relative strength in using virtual learning environments. However, gaps were noted in areas such as digital literacy and ongoing professional development. Industry experts, on the other hand, placed strong emphasis on the need for more integration of collaborative platforms (M = 3.41) and computer-aided design (CAD) tools (M = 3.37) to better reflect real-world practices. Although there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) between the perspectives of lecturers and industry professionals, both groups recognized the critical role of digital pedagogy in preparing students for the workplace. The findings underscore the need for targeted investments in training, stronger collaboration between academia and industry, and supportive policies to improve digital infrastructure. To close the skills gap, the study recommends hands-on workshops, curriculum reforms aligned with industry needs, and sustained professional development opportunities for lecturers.
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