FACULTY RESEARCH PRESSURE AND STUDENT-CENTRED ENGAGEMENT IN UNIVERSITY TEACHING: EVIDENCE FROM ADEYEMI FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, ONDO, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between faculty research pressure and student-centred engagement in university teaching at Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, Nigeria. The study was anchored on Merton’s Strain Theory, which explains how individuals respond when institutional expectations exceed available resources and opportunities. A descriptive correlational survey design was adopted. The population comprised 500 academic staff members, from which 200 respondents were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Faculty research pressure on Academic staff Questionnaire (IPFMQ), and Student-Centred Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ). The instruments were subjected to face and content validation by experts in Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation. Reliability coefficients obtained through Cronbach's alpha exceeded the minimum acceptable threshold of 0.70. The findings revealed that academic staff experienced a high level of faculty research pressure while the level of student-centred engagement was relatively low. Pearson Product Moment correlation analysis showed no significant relationship between faculty research pressure and student-centred engagement (r = .035, p = .624). The study concluded that although academic staff experienced substantial research pressure, this factor was not significantly associated with student-centred engagement among the respondents.