Effectiveness of Bellon and Handler and Kirkpatrick Models in Assessing Entrepreneurial Skills among Polytechnic Students in Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract

This study determines the effectiveness of the use of Bellon and Handler and Kirkpatrick as assessment models in measuring the self-efficacy, instructional practices, and skills acquisition of polytechnic students in Ilorin, Nigeria. The study employed the quantitative research of the survey type. The participants consisted of 354 National Diploma II (ND II) students (male=183 and female=171) in the academic year 2023/2024 enrolled in science-based programmes at the Kwara State Polytechnics in Ilorin, Nigeria. The samples of this study were necessary because of their exposure to entrepreneurship education. Two instruments were employed in data collection in the study. A Bellon and Handlers’ Assessment Model on Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Questionnaire (BHEMESAQ) at the four levels was used to collect opinion from group A (n=204). At the same time, A Kirkpatrick Assessment Model on Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Questionnaire (KEMESAQ) was also used to seek opinion of group B (n=150) to determine knowledge on entrepreneurial skills. Data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to compare the effectiveness of the two assessment models on self-efficacy, instructional practice, and skills acquisition. The results show that both models are effective in assessing skills acquisition, with the Kirkpatrick model shown to be more comprehensive and provide a more detailed understanding of learning science concepts. The study concluded that Entrepreneurial education improves ND II students’ self-efficacy. The study recommends that polytechnic education programmes should adopt the combination use of both Bellon and Handler and Kirkpatrick models to assess learners’ skills acquisition.