Abstract

<p>This study investigated constructivism instructional approaches utilized in undergraduate business education programme for students’ exposure to skills development activities in tertiary institutions in Rivers State. Two specific purposes, research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Descriptive correlational research design was adopted for the study. The study population consisted of 408 business education final year students from three tertiary institutions namely Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and Federal College of Education (Tech.), Omokuoffering the programme at the undergraduate level during the 2023/2024 academic session in Rivers State.50% of the target population which was 204 final year business education students were selected using systematic random sampling and used as sample of the study. Researchers developed structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts, one of Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and two of Business Education from Rivers State University, Port-Harcourt. Test-retest reliability method using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) r value of 0.76 was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions. Pearson Product Moment Correlation r value was used test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that constructivism instructional approaches are being utilized in undergraduate business education programme to a low extent. The finding also revealed that to a low extent students are exposed to skills development activities. The extent of utilization of constructivism instructional approaches also significantly relates to the extent of students’ exposure to skills development activities in undergraduate business education programme in the tertiary institutions. Based on the findings and conclusions drawn, it was recommended among others that business education administrators at the tertiary institutions level in Rivers State should canvass for sponsorship and organize train-the-trainer’s workshop to educate their academic staff on how to design and implement skills development activities using constructivism instructional approaches.</p>