The Impact of Special Education Curriculum on Affective Dispositions of Student-Teachers in the University of Jos, Northern Nigeria

Charity Ashelo Andzayi, Abu Egwa Ozegya, Juliana Rotkangmwa Bodang, Emmanuel Uminya Ikwen 
(Department of Special Education & Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Jos, Nigeria)

Abstract: The paper examines the impact of special education curriculum on affective dispositions of student-teachers in the University of Jos, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the impact of special education curriculum on affective disposition of student-teachers in the areas of empathy, compassion and appreciation of cultural diversity including gender factor, research question was posed and two hypotheses were postulated. The design was evaluative using cross-sectional design. The populations of the study were the special education students. 200 subjects were selected through stratified techniques. The University of Jos Campus Climate Rating Scale (UJCCES) was used as instrument for data collection. The data were administered and analyzed using simple percentage and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results revealed significant impact of special education curriculum on empathy, compassion and appreciation of cultural diversity among student-teachers towards students with special needs. Females students exhibited high empathy and compassion dispositions than their males counterparts while the males demonstrated more appreciation of cultural diversity than their female peers. The study concluded that the special education curriculum promotes effective dispositions of student-teachers to persons with special needs.

Key words: impact, special education curriculum, University of Jos