COMMUNICATION GAPS AS PREDICTOR OF TEACHING PARTNERSHIP IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Teaching partnership is considered a breakthrough in teachers’ professionalization because it favours the articulation of the knowledge but the existence of communication gaps have made it difficult for effective teaching partnership to triumph in school towards achieving the school goals. The study examined communication gaps as predictor of teaching partnership in public secondary schools in Anambra State. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level significance. The study adopted correlational research design. The population of the study comprised 5133 teachers in 263 public secondary schools in six Education Zones in Anambra State. The sample of 513 teachers was used for the study. Proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used for the study. The instruments for data collection were Communication Gaps Questionnaire (CGQ) and Teaching Partnership Questionnaire (TPQ). The instruments were content validated while the construct validation was ascertained using Principle Component Analysis Approach. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient method and the average coefficient for CGQ and 0.80 for TPQ was obtained and was considered reliable and suitable for the study. Simple regression analysis was used for data analysis. The study revealed that language barriers (r = -0.532; P < 0.000), and cultural barriers (r = -0.494; P < 0.000) negatively and significantly predicted teaching partnership in public secondary schools in Anambra State to a moderate extent. The study concluded that communication gaps predicted teaching partnership in public secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that school administrators must tackle the issues of communication gaps adopted in the school system in order to prompt good teaching partnership.