The Need for Incorporating Sustainability Thinking into Higher National Diploma Electrical/Electronic Engineering Curriculum in Nigeria

Abstract

The fundamental substance employed for energy, construction, smelting and shipbuilding before eighteenth century was wood. However, with the advent of industrial revolution, changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had an overwhelming consequence on the socio-economic life of the society. This causes natural resources to decline and demand for them to incredibly increase, which led the humanity to fell into intertwined crises of environmental, economic and social systems. To change the situation, paramount changes of thinking and mindset are required and education is the key. This study therefore, explored the perceptions of electrical/electronic lecturers in the polytechnics on the need to incorporate sustainability thinking into Higher National Diploma electrical/electronic engineering curriculum in Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study through qualitative research design. Sixty-five (65) electrical/electronic lecturers in the polytechnics within the states under the study made up the target population, and only senior lecturers were selected to participate in the study. This is because of their experience in teaching electrical/electronic courses in the institutions. The authors conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews to generate data used in answering the research questions. The authors transcribed and thematically analyzed the data. Findings revealed a common view in which the participants indicated an urgent need for incorporation of sustainability thinking in to the said curriculum. Findings also showed the possible benefits of incorporating sustainability thinking to include environmental protection, economic prosperity, social wellbeing and technical sustainability. The authors recommended a model for incorporating sustainability thinking into HND electrical/electronic engineering curriculum.