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Impact of Funding Constraints on Practicum in Community Development Education in Rivers State University
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Education
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of funding constraints on practicum in Community Development education in Rivers State University. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. Two objectives and research questions guided the study. The population of the study consisted of 150 students and 15 lecturers of adult education and community development department of the Rivers State University. Using the purposive sampling technique, the entire population was used as sample of the study. The instrument for data collection was a self-designed questionnaire titled ?impact of funding constraints on practicum in Community Development education Questionnaire? was structured in line with the four-point summated rating scale response options of strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The instrument was validated and its reliability index established at 0.82 using Cronbach Alpha. Mean and rank order were used in answering the research questions. Findings revealed that funding inadequacies significantly constrain the organization of practicums, limit field exposure, and reduce the effectiveness of experiential learning. The study concludes that without adequate funding, the objectives of Community Development education are compromised. It recommends stronger government funding support, greater utilization of community partnerships, and the integration of low-cost digital innovations to enhance student training and community engagement.
Keywords
Funding, Practicum, Community Development, Experiential Learning, Higher Education.
References
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How to cite this paper
@article{1710344,
author = {Wami, Kevin Chinweikpe},
title = {Impact of Funding Constraints on Practicum in Community Development Education in Rivers State University},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {9},
number = {2},
pages = {1251-1257},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1710344.pdf},
abstract = {This study investigates the impact of funding constraints on practicum in Community Development education in Rivers State University. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. Two objectives and research questions guided the study. The population of the study consisted of 150 students and 15 lecturers of adult education and community development department of the Rivers State University. Using the purposive sampling technique, the entire population was used as sample of the study. The instrument for data collection was a self-designed questionnaire titled ?impact of funding constraints on practicum in Community Development education Questionnaire? was structured in line with the four-point summated rating scale response options of strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The instrument was validated and its reliability index established at 0.82 using Cronbach Alpha. Mean and rank order were used in answering the research questions. Findings revealed that funding inadequacies significantly constrain the organization of practicums, limit field exposure, and reduce the effectiveness of experiential learning. The study concludes that without adequate funding, the objectives of Community Development education are compromised. It recommends stronger government funding support, greater utilization of community partnerships, and the integration of low-cost digital innovations to enhance student training and community engagement.},
keywords = {Funding, Practicum, Community Development, Experiential Learning, Higher Education.},
month = {August},
}