Page 1 of 12
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 11
December 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 734
Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspective of the gap between Research and
Teaching Educational Management: A Reflective
Igbinedion, Joyce Osiegbu (PhD)
Head, Department of Educational Foundation. Federal College of Education Technical. PMB 1044,
Asaba, Delta state, Nigeria.
Member: 1. Nigerian Association of Educational Administration and Planning (NAEAP).
2. National Association For the Advancement of Knowledge (NAFAC)
3. Association Of the Promotion of Research and Develoment in Nigeria (APORDN)
Introduction
Research is the bedrock of
development Research, from earliest times,
has played a vital role in the contribution to
knowledge. Research could take the form of
experimentation, testing, further reading of
works of earlier scholars, critiquing and
generating new knowledge from such works,
opinion surveys among others. However, for
research findings to be authentic and useful,
such research work must be based on truth,
facts and figures. Any deviation from the
truth taints the results of such research and
renders it unreliable and ineffective.
Industries, science, engineering firms and
the education sector, therefore, have relied
heavily on research to discover better,
cheaper and easier ways of manufacturing
goods, raising sales, breaking into new
markets building and disseminating new
knowledge. The arrival of human beings in
other planets in the 20th and 21st century, the
discovery of electricity and the discovery of
effective drugs for recalcitrant disease is as
a result of research through
experimentation. The education sector
which is the training ground for great minds
needs research more than any other sector
for the improvement of teaching and
learning, generation of new knowledge,
creativity as well as new and better methods
of boosting teaching and learning.
Researchers like Fedrick Taylor
(1856-1915), Henri Fayol (1841-1925),
Luther Gulick (1892), Max Weber (1864-
1920) Chester Benard (1886-1961), Elton
Mayo (1927-1933) and the earliest fathers of
management schools of thought researched
and made immense contributions to
management theories which are still
applicable today in educational
management. The studies of Abraham
Maslow (1943), for example, brought a new
knowledge in workers’ motivation Stodgill
Page 2 of 12
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 11
December 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 735
(1948) changed the thought enunciated by
trait leadership theorists, the study of Mary
Parker Follet (1868-1936) introduced a
human face to management theories. The list
is endless. Peretomode (1996) affirmed that
the universal principles of management as
enunciated by these early fathers of
management have dominated training for
many decades.
Researches have continued ever after
the studies of these great minds at various
levels. The new slogan at the tertiary
education sector is “publish or perish”. This
implies that academic staff must continually
involve themselves in research work and
publish their findings. If they fail to research
and publish, they lose their promotion. In
other words, the promotion of academic
staff of tertiary institutions depends on their
ability to research, publish and contribute to
knowledge in their various capacities at the
employing Institutions. As a sequel to this
slogan and Federal government direction on
research there has, been a proliferation of
studies, books, journals on research and
newspaper articles by academic staff of
various institutions. In the field of
Educational Management, there are various
studies on records management (Nakpodia,
2009) eadership (Achimugu, 2012), conflict
management (Egwunyenga 2009,
Igbinedion, 2014) school facilities
(Ehiamatalor, 2012), School Discipline
(Akiri, 2011 Osakwe, 2013). This is to
mention only a few. Students at various
level of tertiary education are also deeply
involved in research. Research is a requisite
for obtaining the Nigerian Certificate for
Education (NCE), Bachelors degree,
Master’s and Doctoral degrees. While the
studies of the earlier forebears of
Management still dominate the school
curriculum today, the studies of the new
generation researchers are hardly mentioned
or found in the curriculum of tertiary
institutions. A gap is, thus, created between
government intents and purpose for
imposing research or tertiary institution and
the eventual outcome of the research of
present members of the academia.
A gap exists when there is a space
between two people, a break in continuity or
when there is a missing part. The gap or
space between research and teaching could
be sequel to misinterpretation of two
people’s intentions, for example,
government’s intentions and the teachers’
purpose. It could also arise as a result of lack
of implementation of findings and research
recommendations. (Burke and Ran, 2010),
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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 11
December 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 736
incompatibility of theory and practice
(Walter and Hen, 2012) that is a situation in
which students are unable to relate
teachings in the classroom with practical
research as is the case with Nigerian
students; some students are unable to relate
or apply research concepts learned in the
school with the practice of research. A gap
is also created when there is lack of
willingness or expertise to engage in
meaningful or structural research procedure
due to constraints by opposing primary
assignments (Aarevara and Dobson, 2013)
or when research findings are not
implemented. Gap, in the context of this
research, is that discontinuity which is
created by lack of publicity of new
knowledge from research work and
implementation of new research findings in
the teaching of educational management.
The reality in Nigerian schools today is that
teachers and learners rely much on the
traditional syllabus and course outline, not
minding the fact that such may no longer be
relevant to the new educational or social
needs of this time in the face of far reaching
changes and technological advancement in
today’s world. The condition that existed in
F. W. Taylor’s time may no longer have
relevance in today’s organizations. The new
generation learners, therefore, have need for
new contributions to the knowledge of
modern work ethics and organizational
principles that tally with today’s needs.
However, Burke and Rau (2010) averred
that students are unaware of the findings of
research in management even though
knowledge of such findings could help to
increase the use of research-grounded
modern management principles. In addition,
Burke and Rau explained that teachers and
students collaborative efforts at
implementation of research procedures
creates an egalitarian teaching and learning
environment in which knowledge is
exchanged instead of a superior (teacher)
always talking down on the students. The
importance of research in all facets of the
school curriculum cannot, therefore be
underestimated. Research in Educational
Management, in other fields of study face
challenges like lack of expertise in research
procedures, especially in statistical analysis,
(Walter and Hen, 2012) Teachers of the
tertiary institutions in Nigeria get involved
in research mostly because it has been made
a compulsory evidence of their academic
productivity. Once such research work is
published, they count it as one of their
published articles rather than a means of
