POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF THEIR COMPETENCIES IN DESIGNING EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH: CASE OF THE UNIVERISTY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

Abstract

Proficiency in research is a prerequisite for academic
achievement for postgraduate students. Even though research
writing abilities are crucial, the majority of students find it
difficult to complete tasks involving research. As a result, this
study looked at how postgraduate students perceived their level
of expertise when it came to creating instructional research. The
survey design used in the study was descriptive. The study was
guided by two null hypotheses and three research questions. A
sample of 300 post-graduate students, 157 of whom were male
and 143 of whom were female, was employed in the study. There
were 198 Masters and 102 Ph.D. students. The researchers
created the Students' Perceptions on their Competences in
Research Designing Questionnaire (SPCRDQ), which was the
tool used to collect data. Using Cronbach's Alpha, the
instrument's dependability was assessed; the result was a
reliability index of 0.85. The three research questions were
addressed using the mean and standard deviation, and the two
null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using
the t-test statistical method. The results show that students were
competent in some areas but there were areas in designing
educational research they need improvement. It also showed that
there was no discernible difference between the perceptions of
male and female students' design competencies. Nonetheless, a
notable distinction was found in the design of educational
research competencies between Ph.D. and masters students.