STUDENT HEALTH EDUCATORS' ATTITUDE TOWARDS CURRICULUM DISSEMINATION AND MODELING ROLE OF COOPERATING SCHOOL TEACHERS IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated student health educators’ attitudes toward curriculum dissemination skills during teaching practice and examined the influence of cooperating school teachers’ teaching styles in Delta State universities. Specifically, the study explored gender-based differences in attitudes and approaches to curriculum dissemination. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a sample of 80 student health educators (33 males and 47 females) and 25 cooperating school teachers, selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a validated and reliable structured questionnaire (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.84) and analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests. Findings revealed a statistically significant difference between male and female student health educators’ attitudes toward curriculum dissemination, with males scoring higher (t(74.84)=2.054, p=0.043). Similarly, a significant difference was found in dissemination approaches in relation to cooperating teachers’ teaching styles, again favoring male student educators (t=2.12, p=0.038). These results highlight gender disparities in curriculum dissemination skills and underscore the critical role of cooperating teachers’ mentorship in shaping preservice educators’ teaching practices. The study concludes that tailored mentorship, particularly for female student health educators, is essential for building confidence and strengthening dissemination skills. It recommends structured training for cooperating school teachers to enhance their mentoring effectiveness and promote equitable professional growth among student health educators.