Professional Development Opportunities And Job Effectiveness Of Agricultural Educators In University Of Calabar, Cross River State Nigeria

Abstract

The relationship between professional development opportunities and job effectiveness of agricultural educators in University of Calabar was determined in this study. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study. Applying correlation design, the study targeted 16 agricultural educators currently engaged by UNICAL and was all involved in the study. Mixed methods of data collection were employed by the researchers. The quantitative data was collected through a 28-item structured questionnaire while the qualitative data was collected through Focused Group Discussion (FGD). The qualitative data obtained through FGD was used to answer the research questions while Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. From the data analyzed, agricultural educators agreed that both staff training, conference attendance and use of ICT gadgets are invaluable to their job effectiveness and decried the near absence of these career opportunities at the moment in UNICAL. The result of the test of hypotheses indicated a moderate relationship between staff training, conference attendance, use of ICT gadgets and job effectiveness of agricultural educators in UNICAL.  It was concluded that a positive relationship existed between professional development opportunities and job effectiveness of agricultural educators in UNICAL and recommended among others that the management of the institution should rise up and ensure that staff training opportunities are available and assessable to agricultural educators to enable them remain committed and effective in their teaching, research and community services.