Imperatives of Technology Integration into Vocational Education Workspace and Environment of Universities of Education in South West, Nigeria

This study is designed to investigate the imperatives of integrating technology into vocational education workspace and environments in universities of education in south west, Nigeria, with reference to the current state of technology use, identified challenges, prospects and strategies for effective technology integration into vocational education workspace and environments. Two research questions and two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance was used for the study. The population of the study was 130 Part Two vocational education students and 25 teachers from Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State and Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State in the south west, Nigeria made up the sample size. No sampling technique was used in the study. The instrument for the data collection was a self-constructed questionnaire titled “Imperatives of technology integration into vocational education workspace and environment in universities of education’. The instrument was designed in a 5-point like scale of requirement. The questionnaire underwent face validation by three experts: two from the Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State and one additional expert used to collect data. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined using the Cronbach-Alpha method, and its reliability was further established through the test-retest technique. A trial test was conducted with vocational and technical educators from University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria. The reliability coefficient was calculated to be 0.84, indicating that the instrument was reliable and valid for the study. The instrument was administered by the researchers. <i>Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses.</i> Findings revealed that there are significant gaps in technology integration, influenced by funding, modern equipment, lack professionally competent teachers, regular training and poor methodology, in order to promote technology integration in vocational education workspace and environment. It is recommended that policy makers, educational administrators, national universities commission and other stakeholders such as Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) among others to enhance technology integration, thereby improving the quality and relevance of vocational education in universities of education south west, Nigeria and beyond.