DEMOGRAPHIC INFLUENCE ON RECREATIONAL PURSUITS AMONG STUDENTS OF COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval Page – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – — – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – vi-viii
Abstract – – – – – – – – – x

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study – – – – – – 1-5
1.2. Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 5-6
1.3. Purpose of the Study – – – – – – 7-8
1.4. Research Questions – – – – – – 7-8
1.5. Research Hypothesis – – – – – – 8
1.6. Significance of the Study – – – – – – 8-9
1.7. Scope of the Study/Delimitation – – – – – 9
1.8. Operational Definition of Terms – – – – – 10-11

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1. Research Design – – – – – – – 29
3.2. Population of the Study – – – – – – 29-30
3.3. Sample and Sampling Techniques – – – – – 30-31
3.4. Instrumentation – – – – – – – 31
3.4.1. Description of the Instrument- – – – – – 31-32
3.4.2. Procedure for the Instrument Development – – – 32
3.5. Validity and Reliability of the Instrument – – – 32-33
3.6. Procedure for Data Collection – – – – – 33
3.7. Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 33-34

CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. Data Presentation and Analysis – – – – – 35-47
4.2. Testing of Hypothesis – – – – – – 47-52
4.3 Discussion of Results – – – – – – 52-59

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 60-62
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 62-63
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – 63-64
5.4 Limitation of the Study – – – – – – 65
References – – – – – – – – 66-73
Appendices – – – – – – – – 74-98

ABSTRACT
This study is on the Demographic Influence of Recreational Pursuit among Students of Colleges of Education in Plateau State. The study identified the demographic influence of recreational pursuits among students of colleges of education with certain variables of gender, age, year of study, religious affiliation and marital status. The research designed used for this study was survey research and the instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire. A total number of 195 respondents were used for the study, descriptive statistic of frequency and simple percentage were used to describe the biodata while the inferential statistic of chi-square was used for testing the hypotheses at 0.5 level of significance. From the data collected, analysis were carried out and hypotheses were tested. The study revealed that the influence of gender and the students’ recreational pursuits X2 = 237.17 df = 9<= 0.05, influence of age and the students recreational pursuits X2 = 32.3 df = 9< = 0.05, influence of religious affiliation and the students’ recreational pursuits X2 = 71.93 df = 9<= 40.7 df =9< = 0.05. Five of the hypotheses tested were rejected. The researcher recommended among which are: academic programme should be planned in such a way that adequate time and opportunity for leisure and recreation are incorporated into the programme, regular workshop, seminar and conferences should be organized to sensitize the newly admitted students on the concept values of recreational pursuit, the college authorities should endeavour to provide recreational facilities that will ensure maximum participation of every students (both single and married). In conclusion, students should not be allowed to engage all the times in school work. But they should make out time for the kind of activity that will help them to recreate their minds and body. They must have time for school work and time for leisure.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Study
Recreation has always been a part of lives of all people, race, nation and creed. In many cases, people have spent their leisure hours in constructive and worthwhile manner by participating in activities such as music, dances, games, sports, paintings, fishing and other arts. In early history Nigerians left evidences of their pursuits.
Umeakuka (2002) stated that recreation is a wide range of activities acceptable to the society in which people voluntarily engage in during their leisure time because of the satisfaction they receive from doing it. Those activities are also referred to as pursuits. Agbo (2002) perceives recreation as activities one voluntarily engages in, and voluntarily withdraws from during one’s hours for the purposes of refreshment of the body and soul.
Recreation activities can take place in many settings, such as the home, church, mosque, playground, factory, lodges and the school. Opadiji (2002) opined that there are various forms of recreational activities which constitute students recreation pursuits. He stated that people need to make time for the kind of activity that will help to recreate their mind and body. Everyone must have time for and for leisure without compulsion or force. The word “recreation” stems from Latin word recreatio which means “to restore to health”. Hence, the term traditionally has been thought of as a process that restores or recreates the individual. The dictionary of sociology in Uever (2005) defined recreation as any activity pursued during leisure either individual or collective that is free and pleasurable, having its own immediate necessity. Oke (2006) pointed out that recreational pursuits provide opportunities for students to discuss matters affecting their interaction and life situation. Uti and Ojeme (2003) maintained that everyone must have time for work and time for leisure. The amount of leisure available for people to have has now increased through the invention of many modern time saving devices. They further pointed out recreational activities to be gardening, camp fire, fishing, dancing, listening to music, canoeing, hiking, field trip and arts work, visiting, swimming, field trips and picnics. In a similar vein, Kpun and Egwu (2006) held that in order to help students develop their talents, abilities and potentials to the fullest, schools should establish and encourage the students to enroll in such recreational activities like chess, habitat, philately, speech and debating, photography, music, jet club and brain cracker among others. Ottong and Charles (2000) reiterated that recreation provides the major channel of youth development through civic education, leadership training, character building and community service. Quality recreation and general physical activities have beneficial effects on students’ psychological well- being, self- esteem, over weight and obesity, Cavil, Biddle and Salis (2001). Mclaughlin (2002) stated that adolescent students who participate regularly in community based recreational programmes experience better academic and social outcome including higher grade and career aspiration.
Bucher (1979) conceives of recreation as those activities in which a person participates during hours other than work. However, Ekele (2011) stated that recreation is an academic discipline in the field of physical and health education in Nigeria tertiary institutions refers to recreation as socially acceptable activity voluntarily engaged in by an individual of any age, sex, religion or social status. Suleiman (2010), stated that recreation is any action that refreshes the mental attitude of an individual. He further explained that recreation may take different routes, but the results are the same. It revitalizes the spirit, restores a person’s personality and perspective of life. Sleap and Tolfrey (2001) discovered that young students are more active when cumulative activity of less stringent intensity threshold is incorporated into their recreational programme. The desire for new activity varies within age group. People in their mid-adult years have different recreational experiences and skills than what their parents did at that age.
Demographic have been identified as common variable that influences the students’ effective participation in recreational pursuits. More so, the influence has been more particularly pronounced among the students of colleges of education. Sills (1972) stated that demography is concerned with the population structure consisting of the age, sex, marital status and other factors. Oakley, Oliver, Shepherd, Brunton, Rees, Harden and Kavanagh (2006) held that the complex interrelationship between personal identity and educational status and degree of support from social environment correlate with the recreational pursuits of the students. Dike (2005) confirmed that life style factors like academic pressure on the students and the determination of the students to do well in examination due to the current emphasis on paper qualification has kept many students of the college busier in academics than necessary.
Dike (2005) further discovered that many students in the colleges do not participate very well in most recreational pursuits. What are the factors that are responsible for the poor participation in recreational pursuit among the students? Nwagu (2006) opined that the success of any programme to a large extent depends on the identification of the factors that are susceptible to its intervention.
Goetz (2005) stated that demography refers to statistical study of human population. In all the schools in Nigeria especially higher institutions, students do take part in one form of recreation and leisure activities or the other.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Despite the availability of some recreational facilities in various Colleges of Education in Plateau state, students appears not to have shown interest in recreational pursuits.
The condition is however different with an ideal comprehensive recreational pursuits in the colleges. College recreation should provide the opportunity for students to effectively balance their academic pursuits with their leisure time activities in such a manner that will ensure quality lifestyle. Moreover, recreational pursuits should be administered or carried out in such a way that the potentials of the students will be fully realized. With large number of time consisting of holidays, lecture free days, sports and extracurricular activities schedule, available to the students, one would have expected that there should be great participation in recreational pursuits. More so, the recent upgrading of some sports facilities in the colleges would have caused a positive and improve participation of students but the reverse appears to be the case.
Certainly, it is true that there is an existence of serious unsatisfactory recreational pursuits in the colleges. Yet it is not known of those influences (factors) that account for the poor participation of the students in recreational pursuits. But the question remains whether are there some particular individual characteristics among the students that can also influence their participation in recreational pursuits. Therefore, it seems inevitable that students’ demography influences consisting of age, gender, year of study, religious affiliation and marital status be investigated to ascertain the influence on their recreational pursuits. The researcher has considered it necessary to carry out this study with a view of finding solutions to the problems.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to identify the demographic influence of recreational pursuits among students of colleges of education in Plateau state of Nigeria. Specific objectives include:
i. To determine the influence of gender and the students’ recreational pursuits.
ii. To determine the influence of age and the students’ recreational pursuits.
iii. To determine the influence of year of study (educational level) and the students’ recreational pursuits.
iv. To determine the influence of religious affiliation and the students’ recreational pursuits.
v. To determine the influence of marital status and the students’ recreational pursuits.
1.4 Research Questions
For the purpose of this study, the following research questions have been raised:
i. What is the influence of gender on the students’ recreational pursuits?
ii. What is the influence of age on the students’ recreational pursuits?
iii. What is the influence of year of study (educational level) on the students’ recreational pursuits?
iv. What is the influence of religious affiliation on the students’ recreational pursuits?
v. What is the influence of marital status on the students’ recreational pursuit?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated to enable the researcher carryout the study.
i. There is no significant influence of age and the recreational pursuits of the students of colleges of education in Plateau state.
ii. Gender has no significant influence on the recreational pursuits of the students of colleges of education in Plateau state.
iii. The students’ year of study in the college has no significant influence on their recreational pursuits.
iv. Religion affiliation has no significant influence on the recreational pursuits of students of the colleges of education in Plateau state.
v. There is no significant influence of marital status and the recreational pursuits of students of colleges of education in Plateau state.
1.6 Significance of the Study
However, it is the plan of this study to bridge this gap and make recreational pursuits in those colleges a very interesting and motivating experience. The study will sensitize all the stakeholders and- the college authorities in recreational profession and relevant agencies towards providing the needed support and encouragement for growth and development of recreation in the colleges. In order to achieve this, an extensive review of the factors (variables) on recreational pursuits as it affects demographic influence was carried out to provide background knowledge and information in the study. This study is not timely but deemed very appropriate in order to arrest the prevailing unsatisfactory recreational pursuits in the colleges.
1.7 Delimitation of the Study
This study was delimited to the demographic influence of recreational pursuits among students of colleges of education in Plateau state. The study examined particularly the following demographic variables of gender, age, year of study (educational level), religious affiliation and marital status which were identified in the literature as capable of influencing the recreational pursuits of the students of the colleges.
Beside, the study was also delimited to colleges of education in Plateau state. They are Federal College of Education Pankshin, College of Education, Gindiri(Mangu) and Oswald Waller College of Education, Shendam.
More so, the study was delimited to the entire students of the three colleges of education in Plateau state.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
There is need to define or explain some words and terms that are used in this study for the purpose of clarity and understanding. Therefore, important words and terms have been defined as follows:
1. Recreation: Recreation refers to the socially acceptable activity voluntarily engaged in by an individual of any sex, age, religion or social status during leisure hours after a hard day work, in which participation is motivated by the personal satisfaction which results to participation in such an activity.
2. Pursuits: Pursuits are activities such as sports or hobby which one spends a lot of time doing..
3. Recreational Pursuits: It refers to students’ occupation or involvement during recreation at their leisure period.
4. Demographic: Demographic refers to the study of human population and the way in which they change..
5. Age: This refers to the students’ number of years..
6. Gender: This refers to the fact of college students of two opposite sex being male or female especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences.
7. Religious: It is the most populated and most universal focus of human celebration and self-renewing activity of college students..
8. Marital status: It refers to college students who have legally come to stay together as husband and wife..
9. Influence: It refers to the variables of age, gender, marital status, religious affiliation and recreational pursuits of college students.