Raising the Awareness of Learners towards Modularization: A Case Study of Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to survey the level of awareness of students towards modularization; and to take action (train) to raise the awareness to a desirable state. For the purpose of surveying the students’ level of knowledge towards modularization, a 15-item questionnaire (The Initial Questionnaire) on a Likert scale was given to all the 24 Agribusiness and Value-chain Management (ABVM) year II students. Accordingly, the overall percentage of incorrect answers was 52.5%, which implies that more than half of the students are levelled poor in their knowledge and attitude (awareness) towards modularization. It was also evidenced that 54.6% of the students rated that their level of knowledge about modularization as “very poor” or “poor”. Based on the results from The Initial Questionnaire, a refresher and awareness training was given to students to raise their awareness to a desirable state. As the second action focus group discussion also conducted with selected instructors leading modules on the issues of essence of modular curriculum and implementation of the packages so that learners can recognize the merits of modularization. After all the actions, for the purpose of surveying the changes on the students’ level of knowledge towards modularization, a 15-item questionnaire (exactly the same as the Initial Questionnaire) was given again to students. Accordingly, the overall percentage of correct answers was 85.67%, which implies that majority of the students are levelled high (preferably desirable) in their knowledge and attitude (awareness) towards modularization after the intervention. After the intervention it was also evidenced that all (100%) of the students rated that their level of knowledge about modularization as “good” or “very good” or “excellent”.

Keywords: Wolaita Sodo University, raising awareness, modularization.