Students’ Discipline and Practical Skills Acquisition among Carpentry and Joinery Students, a Case of Technical Institutes in Lango Sub-Region.
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Date
2025
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Gulu University
Abstract
The study investigated the relationship between students’ discipline and practical skills acquisition among carpentry and joinery students in selected technical institutes within Lango Sub-Region. The theory that underpinned the study was Skills Acquisition theory, developed by Rod Ellis and Shritani (2013). The purpose of the study was to determine how various dimensions of discipline, including time management, respectful interactions and active participation influence the acquisition of practical carpentry and joinery skills. The study was guided by four objectives: To examine the relationship between time management/punctuality and practical skills acquisition, To explore the influence of students’ respectful interactions on practical skills development, To investigate the impact of student participation on practical competencies and To determine the overall relationship between students’ discipline and the acquisition of practical skills. A mixed-methods research design was employed, involving a sample of 97 respondents drawn from each selected technical institutes, including students, instructors, departmental heads, principals and their deputies. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed through Pearson correlation and linear regression data analysis. While qualitative data were gathered through interviews and analyzed thematically to provide contextual insights. The research findings revealed strong positive relationships between all dimensions of students’ discipline and practical skills acquisition with students’ time management (r = .689**, p < 0.01), respectful interactions or behaviour (r = .755**, p < 0.01) and students’ participation (r = .682**, p < 0.01). These results indicated that disciplined students through effective time management, respectful interactions, behaviour or communication and active participation demonstrated higher proficiency in practical carpentry and joinery tasks. The study concluded that fostering discipline in technical education is critical for enhancing both technical competencies and professional attitudes, thereby improving employability and workplace readiness. Based on these findings, it was recommended that technical institutes implement structured programs and mentorship initiatives to promote self discipline, encourage collaborative respectful interactions and provide opportunities for active participation to strengthen practical skills acquisition among students.
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Keywords
Students’ discipline, practical skills acquisition, government-aided technical institutes and Lango Sub-Region.