The focus of this study is to determine the extent of the relationship among students’ locus of control, Parental education and their career choice. Thus, to arrive at the conclusive result, the following instruments were employed by the researcher for data collection:
1. Adopted version of Rotter’s Locus of Control (1966). Measured locus of control.
2. Adapted version of Parental Education Background Questionnaire developed by Adegoke (1987). This measured Parental education.
76
3. Adapted version of Students’ Vocational Choice Questionnaire (SVCQ) developed by Dere (1980). Adapted and measured student career choice.
3.5.1 Roter’s Locus of Control Scale
Rotter’s scale of locus of control seeks to find out the degree of confidence the individual client has in his own ability. They seek to measure the various ways the client explains what happens to him in life. Does he for example believe that he is .in full control of his life or that he lives only by the benevolence of some powerful others?
There are 29 paired statements in the scale one of each pair of statements relates to the role the individual client believes he plays in whatever happens to him or her while the other statement relates to the role other people play in the clients achievement. The respondent is to choose one of each pair of statements better describes his own feelings and situations. The researcher has just decided to adopt the instrument.
3.5.2 Validity of Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale
Rotter (1966) as the original author of locus of control validated the instrument.
Though the researcher is adopting the instrument but nevertheless, went for further validation process so as to authenticate the author’s validation. The instrument was given to some lecturers in the Department of Educational Foundations, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, and it was later agreed that the instrument is valid enough of measuring what it intends to measure. Therefore, the items posses face validity and content validity.
3.5.3 Reliability of the Locus of Control Scale
A reliability coefficient of locus of control scale was calculated on a sample of 45 students from college of education, Maru in Zamfara state. The test re-test method was used in a pilot study, with an interval of four weeks between the first and second administration of the instrument. Cronbach alpha correlation coefficients were used.
77
The reliability index of 0.85 was obtained. This was considered to be sufficiently high for the study.
3.5.4 Scoring and Interpretation of the Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale
The statements scored are those representing a strong belief in oneself. The scale is hand scored. The guideline for scoring is indicated. The maximum score available in Rotter’s locus of control scale is 29. The higher the score, the higher the confidence the individual has in his/her own ability. Information obtained from both the normative and the validity samples indicates that the individual who would need counseling is the one whose score is quite below 6. Thus, a high score implies an external locus of control, while a low score indicates an internal locus of control.
3.5.5 Parental Education Background Questionnaire (PEBQ)
This is the second instrument that the researcher adapted and employed for the study titled “Parental Education Background Questionnaire (PEBQ).’’ The instrument was adapted by the researcher because the information required about Parental education of the students could be tapped from the questionnaire. There are 13 items in the scale. The respondents are to choose among many alternatives, the response that best describes their own situations or feelings.
The adapted version of Adegoke’s (1987) Parental Education Background Questionnaire has originally 10 items. In adapting the version; the current researcher modified some items and added 3 items. Thus, item number 9 of the questionnaire was added; Item number 12 of the questionnaire was also added. In addition, item number 13 which addresses four issues in the questionnaire was among the other items being added. The reason for these additional items was to give the researcher more opportunity to tap the required information on other variables that were not included in the earlier instrument of Adegoke’s scale.
78
3.5.6 Validity of the Research Instrument (PEBQ)
The validity of (PEBQ) was first determined by the original author (Adegoke), that is for both its construct and content validity. Despite that, the researcher subjected the instrument for further scrutiny by lecturers in the Department of Educational Foundations, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. From then, necessary amendments were made after validation which qualifies the instrument to obtain face validity.
3.5.7 Reliability of the Research Instrument (PEBQ)
In order to ensure reliability of the research instrument of (PEBQ), a Pilot study was conducted using a selected sample of 45 female students from College of Education Maru, Zamfara state, who were not part of the real study sample. A test re-test correlation was carried out with an interval of four weeks between the first and second administration of the instrument.
The reliability of the instrument was obtained after the pilot study, using cronbach correlation coefficient, statistics. A reliability coefficient of 0.89 was obtained.
The reliability index shows that the instrument is quite enough to be used for the study.
3.5.8 Scoring of the Parental Education Background Questionnaire
Parental Education Background Questionnaire (PEBQ) is scored on a rating scale.
Respondents are rated on thirteen items. Item one has six options which are rated from 1-6.Items 2 and 8 of the PEBQ are scored on a 6-point rating scale; Items 3 and 4 are scored on a 5- point rating scale; Items 5,6,7 and 10 are scored on 3- point rating scale;
Items 9 and12 are rated on 4- point rating scale; Items 11 is scored on 2-point scale while, item 13 and its sub items are rated on 4- point likert scale.
79
3.5.9 Students’ Vocational Choice Questionnaire
The third instrument used was an adapted questionnaire tagged “Students Vocational Choice Questionnaire (SVCQ)”. This questionnaire was adapted by the researcher because of its direct bearing to the research topic under investigation.
The instrument was developed by Dere (1986) when he was working on the
“Relationship between Students’ Vocational Aspiration and Parental Education in Kwara State’’. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. Section “A” solicits for respondents personal data such as; Name of school, class, age, and sex. Section ‘B’
deals with the level of education and occupation of the respondents parents. Section “C”
consists of respondent’s subject offered in school and the person who influences their choice of subjects, while section “D” solicits for respondent’s vocational aspiration and what influences such choice. Thus, Dere’s (1986) S.V.C.Q has been adopted by various researchers such as Ezema (2000), Adeleke (1990), Olulola (1998), Usman (1999) and Dalijan (2005) to mention but a few.
The adapted version of Dere’s Students’ Vocational Choice Questionnaire (SVCQ) has originally 26 items. The last part of section D’ had been modified from Yes or No alternatives to 4-point Likert Scale as Strongly agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly disagree with numerical value of 1,2,3 and 4. The structure of the questions was also modified with addition of two questions. Question 18 was separated as part of the modification because four factors were joined together (such as parents, teachers friends and books) as one factor responsible for influencing or reason for career choice.
The four items were confusing and as such, they were separated as different factors.
Thus;
a) Parents were treated differently as a factor for career choice.
b) Teachers were treated differently as a factor for career choice.
80
c) Friends were also treated differently as a factor for career choice.
d) Books were separated differently as a factor for career choice.
This brings additional two items in the questionnaire.
3.5.10 Validity of the Research Instrument (SVCQ)
The questionnaire tagged “Students Vocational Choice Questionnaire (SVCQ)”
has been validated by the original author and other experts in the field of test and measurement. Various researchers who adopted the instruments validated it and found it to have possessed content and face validity.
The current researcher subjected the instrument for further scrutiny by lecturers in the Department of Educational Foundations, Usmanu Danfodiyo University ,Sokoto.
All the necessary modifications after vetting were made by the researcher. The instrument was considered to obtain both content and face validity and as such it will be adapted for this study.
3.5.10.1 Reliability of the Research Instrument (SVCQ)
Students Vocational Choice Questionnaire (SVCQ) as an instrument developed by Dere (1986) was adapted. The reliability of this instrument was established by the original author using test re-test reliability method. The questionnaire was administered to a group of 40 students at Barakat community secondary school Ilorin. It was re-administered after two weeks to the same students. The scores were subjected to cronbach alpha correlation Coefficient which yielded to reliability index of 0.80. From the observed reliability index, the instrument was considered quite reliable and consistent for use.
Similarly, the current researcher conducted a pilot study to determine the reliability coefficient of the instrument. A sample of 45 female students from College of Education, Maru, Zamfara state was used. A test re-test reliability method was
81
employed to the same set of students with an interval of four weeks. The instrument was subjected to Cronbach correlation coefficient statistic. A reliability coefficient of 0.88 was obtained. From the observed reliability index, the instrument is considered reliable to be used for the study.
3. 5.10.2 Scoring of the Students’ Vocational Choice Questionnaire (SVCQ)
Students vocational Choice Questionnaire is scored on a rating scale and has 28 items. Items 1-4 deal with personal information of the respondents. In section ‘B’ of the questionnaire that contains level of education and parents’ occupation thus: Items 5 and 6 of SVAC are scored on 4-point rating scale; Items 7 and 6 are scored on a 7-point rating scale. Section ‘C’ of the Questionnaire is rated differently, depending on the subject or course combination offered in school. Item 9 contains 4 options which will lead to responding to item 10 or 11 or 12.Item 13seeks for respondents interest on 3subject combinations while, item 14 is related to 13 above which indicates the influencing factor for choosing the best three subjects and is rated on 6-point scale.
Section ‘ D’ portrays students’ aspirations. Item 15 therefore is rated on 5-point scale which shows the highest qualification hope to attain. Item 16 has only 2 0ptions. Item 17 which contains a list of Nigerian professions is only rated on3 options. From item 18-28, rating and scoring were based on 4-point Likert –Scale.