KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHING ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF KADUNA POLYTECHNIC

Abstract

The study investigated Knowledge sharing for improving teaching activities in Nigerian Tertiary institutions: A case study of Kaduna Polytechnic. The objectives of the study were to: identify the types of knowledge shared among Academic staff for the improvement of teaching activities in Kaduna Polytechnic; determine how Knowledge is shared among Academic Staff for the improvement of teaching activities in Kaduna Polytechnic; identify the platforms used by Academic staff in knowledge sharing for the improvement of teaching activities in Kaduna Polytechnic. The research method adopted for this study is the quantitative research method. The research design adopted for the study was a cross-sectional survey research design. The study population comprised the entire academic staff of Kaduna Polytechnic across six (6) colleges of the institution, totalling one thousand nine hundred 1900. The sample size for this study was one hundred and ninety (190), which is 10% of the entire Population of the academic staff of Kaduna Polytechnic. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions. The data collected were analysed using frequency tables and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that the types of Knowledge shared for the improvement of teaching activities among academic staff were educational knowledge and best practices. The study also revealed that the majority of the respondents indicated that the type of knowledge-sharing practice they engaged in was the sharing of documents with other colleagues and group discussion. It was also revealed from the study that the major platforms used for knowledge sharing, as indicated by the majority of the academic staff, were Conferences, Academic Social Networks and Forums. The study recommended, among others, that the Polytechnic management should create a more conducive environment for the academic staff so that they can have more avenues or platforms through which they can easily share their knowledge, experience and expertise to improve teaching activities in the Polytechnic.