INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF LECTURERS’ POWER SOURCES ON COMPLIANCE IN A SELECTED NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

University education all over the world has been undergoing tremendous challenges due to changes in models of learning, communication techniques and strategies adopted in the classroom. The assessment of lectures’ power in the classroom which could have been used in understanding the routes of students’ compliance to these learning model, strategies and communication techniques have not been investigated in Nigeria. This study therefore, investigated the influence of students’ perception of lecturers’ power sources on compliance in a Nigerian University. Using a multistage sampling technique, 431 students were proportionally selected from four campuses of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. Data for the study was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while the hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance. The results revealed that perceived lecturer’s power sources (expert, rewards, legitimate, coercive, and referent) by students significantly jointly influence their level of compliance (p = 0.037) Also, there was a significant difference between male and female students’ compliance based on perceived power sources (p = 0.003). While students’ class level in the university significantly influence their level of compliance based on perceived lecturers’ power sources (p = 0.001). The implication of this study is that, a single factor in power source is not sufficient in influencing students' compliance rather a combination of factors. Therefore, the university management should train and develop lecturers to acquire requisite lecturing qualifications, knowledge and skill in social relationships so that they can exercise control during lectures and also gain compliance with request and instructions from students.