THE INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF BUSINESS EDUCATION ON ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT OF UNDERGRADUATES IN OGUN STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education lies at the heart of every society. It is a key and a vital element in the broad development of the nation’s youth’s capacity to address and solves difficulties. Education forms the basis for the proactive and positive economic, social and political changes in the society. Education remains the key to empowerment of the people and the nations as a whole (Olawolu and Kaegon, 2012). Education consolidates and builds upon basic education to empower the youth to really live, function as a productive member of the society, earning a living, and contributing to societal progress.Business education continuously builds on the knowledge, skills, values and attitude learnt at the lower phases of education. The greatest weapon against poverty is education of the youths. (Nwangwua, 2007). The author further explains that any form of education that does not equip its beneficiaries with skills to be self-reliant is a faulty system of education. Kaegon (2009) believes that business education must be ready to offer their recipients functional education that will enhance performance as well as assist them to contribute meaning to the economic development of the country.
Student academic engagement on the other hand can mean many things although assignments, subjects, courses and education are linked together indicating that if engagement can be created at any of these levels, it will spread over to others. Bryson & Hand,(2007) Student engagement is connected to the extent to which students engage themselves in the kind of educational activities that evidently lead to high quality learning. Examples of such activities involve active learning, participation in developmental experiences and working with others, teachers or students. The ideal behavior of students is that they challenge themselves within these activities and within the education itself to reach the highest level of learning and to get the most out of the university experience. They need to look into new ideas and concepts, practice important skills such as presentation, communication, analysis etc. which will ensure that they are completely ready for work life when graduating from the university. (Coates, 2005) Fundamentally, a student should be able to attain knowledge, analyze it, know how to make independent judgments, develop an own identity as well as use critical thinking and problem solving (Baxter Magolda, 2001).