Volume 2, 2024 – Issue 3
Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities
Akpan Udo Usiere 
1, Catherine Nwokoro 2, and Margaret Akwaowo Nou
1 Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Nigeria
2 Wellspring University, Benin city, Nigeria
Corresponding author: usiere2000@yahoo.com
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14796858
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the academic performance evaluation of Mass Communication students in Nigerian Universities. The objectives were to find out the most common evaluation methods, the evaluation frequency, and the outstanding barriers. The goal and the social constructivism theories were applied. The scope of this research was limited to two universities with Mass Communication /Communication Arts as a course of study. The two universities are the University of Uyo, and the WellSpring University, Benin in Southern Nigeria. The method was a survey on a population of 16 lecturers purposively taken and administered with a closed-ended questionnaire. Findings indicated that most lecturers, 8 persons or 50 percent, apply termly examinations to evaluate students’ performance at the expense of class assignments, continuous assessments, class participation, and practical sessions. The implication is that the academic performance of Mass Communication course students is poor and not evenly evaluated. The implication also shows that there has been a turning out of half-baked graduates due to poor standards of academic evaluation over a period. This research has also established that result-oriented academic evaluation methods have a link with students’ performance no matter the course of study in the Universities. It is recommended that authorities of Universities should set goals and endeavor to restrain the lecturers from using corruption, bias, and social constructivism sentiments in evaluating students. Regulatory agencies of Nigerian universities have to put effective practical structures of students’ evaluation and regularly conduct transparent monitoring of teaching and assessment models. This work has validated propositions of the goal and social constructivism theories and attendant effects on templates of students’ evaluation by educational institutions. It seeks further research to establish purposeful and practical evaluation methods to meet the goals of universities in Nigerian society.
Keywords: academic, communication, evaluation, performance, students, universities.
Published
2024/10/28
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Section
Research Papers
How to Cite (APA)
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
Usiere, A. U., Nwokoro, C., & Akwaowo M. (2024). Templates of Measuring Academic Performance of Mass Communication Students: Issues of Social Constructivism and Goal Theories in Nigerian Universities. The International Journal of Technology, Innovation, and Education, 2(3), 41-59. https://ijtie.com/v203/n49
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About the authors
- Akpan Udo Usiere, a born-again Christian of the Church of God Mission International, Idahosa World Outreach, was the Coordinator, the General Studies Unit, at WellSpring University, Benin City, and currently teaching at Top Faith University, Mkpatak. He had his primary education at the Army Primary School, Opobo, Rivers State, and the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion College, Eket, Akwa Ibom State before attending the University of Uyo and the University of Port Harcourt. He has bagged the BA, MA, and PhD degrees in Communication Arts, Mass Communication, and Communication Studies respectively between 1998 and 2020. He is listed among the Thomson Reuters Foundation, London, Digital Journalism Certificate holders, member of the African Council on Communication Education, ACCE, Nigeria, member of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Akwa Ibom Council, member of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA. He has practiced journalism as a Reporter, Principal Reporter, Editor, and Consultant to several private and public media institutions, attended national and regional conferences, and has taught journalism courses in polytechnics and universities. He is the founder, of Democracy Builders International, a public sensitization organization in Nigeria. He has written extensively for popular national newspapers and academic journals. Akpan is married to Deaconess Bessie and blessed with two children, Ememobong and Bright-fortune. He has a niche for academic research in political, broadcast, advertising, entrepreneurial, and development journalism.
usiere2000@yahoo.com
↩︎ - Catherine Nwokoro, I have my Doctorate Degree in Health Communication but I also have mastery in Advertising, Public Relations, and Development Communication sub-fields of the Department of Mass Communication. I have over twenty publications in both local and international journals. I am a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication.
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