Effects of challenge-based and activity-based learning approaches on technical college students’ achievement, interest and retention in woodwork technology

This study examines the effects of challenge-based and activity-based learning approaches on technical college students’ achievement, interest and retention in woodwork technology. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted. The study constituted a total number of 122 subjects, 63 for Challenge-based learning, while 59 were for activity-based learning. The study revealed that students who taught woodwork using the challenge-based learning instructional approach had a higher mean score than students taught using the activity-based learning teaching method in cognitive achievement tests, psychomotor achievement tests and tests for retention of learning. Consequently, the research recommended that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) should consider a review of the Woodwork work curriculum for Technical Colleges with a view to incorporating the challenge-based learning instructional approach into the teaching of the woodwork.

Gender-Relative Effect of Project-Based Learning Method on Academic Achievement and Retention Of Technical College Students in Basic Electricty

The gender-related controversies associated with effects of various teaching methods gave rise to this study. This study was conducted to ascertain the gender-relative effect of project-based learning method on academic achievement and retention of technical college students in Basic Electricity. The study was carried out in Anambra state and the design of the study was quasi-experimental research with pretest, posttest, delayed posttest non-randomized control group design involving students’ intact class groups. A sample of 92 NTC II students was drawn from a population of 179 students of state owned technical colleges in Anambra state. The study was guided by two research questions and two null hypotheses which were tested at 0.05 level of significance. For collection of data, based on the units covered, Basic Electricity Achievement Test (BEAT), a 40-item multiple choice test served as the instrument. Validation of the instrument, as well as the lesson plans for both control and experimental groups were done by three experts from the faculty of education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. KR-20 was used to determine the reliability coefficient of the instrument which was found to be 0.82. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings revealed that considering the both genders, students in technical college who were taught Basic electricity using project-based learning method had higher achievement and retention scores than those taught with the conventional teaching method. Also findings revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean achievement and retention scores of the students taught basic electricity using PBLM. Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that PBLM has the potential to improve male and female technical college students’ academic achievement and retention in Basic electricity. Consequently, it was recommended among others that Basic electricity teachers should use PBLM in the teaching of Basic electricity and grant students equal opportunity during classroom instructions irrespective of gender so as to enhance students’ academic achievement and retention in the subject.

Adoption of ICT in Learning: Perceptions from Technical College Students in Malawi

Background: There has been a growing interest to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the field of education. Most countries have made strides to adopt the use of ICT in teaching and learning. A lot of studies have been made to find out about attitudes of stakeholders in education on adopting the use of ICT. Aim: Considering that Malawi has recently been promoting the skills and vocational trades, this study was aimed at finding out how students in the technical and vocational colleges perceive the use of ICT in learning. Methods: A quantitative research study was undertaken among 208 students using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and analyses of variance were used to analyze the results using IBM SPSS version 23 Software. Findings: The study revealed that most students use ICT for recreational purposes than pedagogical. It was also revealed that there are no differences in perceptions of using ICT in learning between male and female students, although differences were noted between students coming from different locations. Recommendation: We recommend the use of ICT in technical and vocational college as the world is changing in the manner the business is being transacted as witnessed with the impact of COVID-19. Further we recommend authorities to put more attention in the development of ICT learning resources as it has the power to drive the economy in all sectors.

Effects of Innovative and Traditional Teaching Methods on Technical College Students’ Achievement in Computer Craft Practices

Recently, global trends in technological development have brought about innovations in educational paradigms, thus giving rise to significant adoption of learner-centered and problem-centered approaches with greater potential to impart the next generation of learners compared to a more dominant teacher-centered approach. In view of this, this study presents result of the effects of innovative pedagogy integration in computer craft practices among technical college students in Enugu State, Nigeria. Result shows that innovative pedagogies applied in teaching and learning of computer craft practices were more effective in enhancing learning outcomes than the conventional teaching method. Based on this, the study concludes that computing teachers should become more creative in their day-to-day teaching activities by adopting innovative teaching approaches that can make teaching and learning of computing studies more engaging to learners.

COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF PEER TUTORING AND EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ON SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigated the effects of Peer Tutoring and Explicit instructional strategies on Science and Technical college students’ achievement and retention in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Quasi-experimental, non-equivalent pretest, post-test, post-post-test control group design was employed for the study. The population consisted of 1,237 Science and Technical college students. The sample of the study comprised 67 Science and Technical College students purposively sampled from two intact classes randomly selected from the three Science and Technical colleges in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two research hypotheses guided the study. Science and Technical Achievement Test (STAT) was used as instrument for data collection. It reliability was determined using Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (KR20) and the reliability coefficient of 0.83 was obtained. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the research hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level of significance. Bonferroni Multiple Comparisons was used to determine the direction of the difference. The findings of this study revealed that Peer Tutoring and Explicit instructional strategies have significant effect on Science and Technical college students’ achievement and retention. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that; Science and Technical college teachers should incorporate Peer Tutoring and Explicit instructional strategies into the teaching of Science and Technical subjects.