Innovative Assessment Method for Evaluating Industrial Technical Education for Enhancement of Nigeria's Economy

Abstract

The study explores assessment methods for evaluating industrial technical education in tertiary institutions in Nigeria for the enhancement of the economy. It re-examines the objectives of technology education in Nigeria and reviews the literature on evaluation procedures. The study argues that an efficient evaluation of practical skills achievement is not just the ability to measure and evaluate objectively but also the process from which evidence is obtained. The study finds performance tests as the most suitable tool for measuring practical skill achievement in vocational and technology education programs. It suggests a weighting of 60% for practical and 40% for theories to be a more realistic proportion of the total mark allocated to practical skill achievement. The study concludes that a 60/40 weighting will make it less likely for students who perform poorly in practicals to obtain passing marks in core courses in technology education programs as a yardstick for industrial performance and economic emancipation.