The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Herbert N. Ene

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 10, 2014 @ 10:00 a.m.

Ball Hall 123

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Philosophy, Philosophy, Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri, Nigeria.

Bachelor of Theology, Theology, Saint Joseph Major Seminary Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria.

Master of Education, Education, Christian Brothers University Memphis, Tennessee.

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, & Chair, Department of Leadership, Committee Chair

Reginald Leon Green, Ed.D, Professor, Department of Leadership

Mitsunori Misawa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Charisse Gulosino, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Major Field of Study

Leadership & Policy Studies

Period of Preparation:  2010 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: November 2013

AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY ABOUT THE ASPECTS OF IGBO CULTURE THAT INFLUENCE EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES OF FEMALE AND MALE 12TH GRADE STUDENTS IN THEIR CAREER CHOICES IN ENUGU STATE SCHOOLS, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This qualitative study seeks to obtain an in depth understanding of aspects of Igbo culture that influence educational practices of female and male 12th grade students in their career choices as they approach their graduation from high school in Enugu State Schools. The study will be based upon previous researches that held that Igbo culture limits choice of careers among female 12th grade students in Nigeria. It will answer the overarching question that inquires to explore those aspects of Igbo culture that influence educational practices of female and male 12th grade students in their choice of careers in Enugu State Schools. The research design that will be used in this study is focus group interview. Purposeful and snowball samplings will be employed in the choice of participants to be interviewed. This is to enable the researcher to select only those that have expert knowledge of the Igbo culture. The population for the study will be thirty one, comprising of the traditional ruler of the town and ten members of his cabinet that formed the first focus group, and ten men and ten women village representatives that form the second and third focus groups respectively. The interview will be both individual and focus groups semi-formal and semi-structured audio taped. Transcription will be made. The analysis of texts from the transcribed audio tapes and the archival documents comprised of coding, categorizing and themes. Also the data were analyzed within the context of the three main historical periods in Igbo culture, namely; the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial. Tracing the relationship in the historical development of some cultural factors over the time between these three periods in Igbo culture, the researcher expressed some key cultural factors that were involved. Conclusions will be developed from “ground up” rather than from “top down” so as to determine that the study’s aims are met. Ways of overcoming the cultural barriers or empowering female students will be of interest for further studies.