Application of Ethical Practices as Correlate of Lecturers’ Productivity in Rivers State Universities

Abstract

This study investigated application of ethical practices as correlate of lecturers’ productivity in Rivers State Universities. Two objectives, two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted correlational research survey design. The total population of the study was 2354 lecturers consisting of 1330 lecturers from Rivers State University and 1024 lecturers from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. The sample size of study was 330 lecturers consisting of 240 lecturers from Rivers State University and 90 lecturers from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. The non-proportionate sampling technique was used to determine the sample size of the study. The instruments for the study were two sets of self-structured questionnaires titled: “Application of Ethical Practices Questionnaire (AEPQ)” and “Lecturers’ Productivity Questionnaire (LPQ)”. The instruments were face and content validated by 2 experts, 1 from the Department of Educational Management and 1 from the field of Measurement and Evaluation in the Department of Educational Foundations respectively in Rivers State University. The Cronbach Alpha statistics was used for the reliability of the instruments which yielded cumulative reliability index of 0.84 for application of ethical practices and 0.82 for productivity of lecturers. Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistics was used in answering the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t-Transformation at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that application of accountability and application of professional integrity as ethical practices correlated with productivity of lecturers in Rivers State Universities. This correlation revealed a high, positive and significant relationship. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended among others that; regular workshops and seminars on academic integrity should be organized to sensitize lecturers on ethical standards and other forms of misconduct so as to guide their conduct in teaching, research and interactions with students.