Hands on Knowledge within the University’s Training Curriculum: A Study of Push and Pull Factors among the Students at the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

The focus of this research was to explore what motivational factors that push or pull university students to join practical knowledge programs. The study employed a qualitative method to collect data from 100 third-year students at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) of the University of Dar Es Salaam. The study found that both pushandpull trigger pointsare motivational factors for students to join a knowledge program that incorporates strong practical components.The implication is that to ensure that graduates can face the requirements of today’s job markets the university must balance theoretical knowledge withopportunities for practical experience.Thus, as the university revises its curriculum it is essential to give careful considerations to both push and pull factors as critical elements to enhance the university’s educational objectives. This studyprovides a first look at push-pull factorsand its associated intervening factors that motivate students to advance their learning. As such it provides a model for necessary subsequent studies to be conducted for other University faculties to identify what push-and-pull factors impact students in their respective disciplines. In addition, further research is warranted into motivational variances that may exist between male and female students.