Comparative Effect of Computer Tutorial and Simulation on Students’ Academic Achievement and Interest in Building Construction in Technical Colleges in Rivers State

Comparative Effect of Computer Tutorial and Simulation on Students’ Academic Achievement and Interest in Building Construction in Technical Colleges in Rivers State.

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the effect of computer tutorial and simulation on students’ academic achievement and interest in building construction in technical colleges in Rivers State. The achievement of students’ taught with computer simulation was compared with that of those taught with the computer tutorial.

Six research questions guide the study while six hypotheses were formulated for the study. A quasi-experimental design, specifically, the non-randomized control group design involving four intact classes were used. The population was 143 National Technical Certificate (NTC) II building construction trades students of two technical colleges in Rivers State.

These students in the intact classes were assigned ether to experimental group (Computer simulation) or control group (Computer tutorial). Building construction achievement test (BUCAT) and building construction interest inventory (BUCII) instruments were developed, validated and used for data collection.

Reliability of the BUCAT was 0.79 while that of BUCII was 0.95. Arithmetic mean and standard deviation were used to analyze data collected in respect of the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses. Findings of the study revealed that computer simulation has significant effect on students’ achievement and interest in building construction.

The interactive effect of computer simulation and gender in students’ achievement and interest in building construction was significant. It implied from the findings that there is need for building construction teachers to employ the use of computer simulation in teaching as it proved more effective in improving students’ achievement and interest in building construction.

INTRODUCTION

Nations of the world could be considered self-reliant if they are scientifically and technologically developed. This development can be achieved if the citizens of such nations are adequately equipped with the required knowledge and skills in the field of technology. Technology therefore can be said to be a pre-requisite for national development.

It becomes obvious that Nigeria as a nation has to produce a pool of scientists and technologists who possess the requisite expertise necessary for technological development. Training relevant for the acquisition of technical know-how for technological development begins from technical colleges (Federal Republic of Nigeria, FRN, 2004).

In Nigeria, technical colleges are regarded as the principal vocational/technical institutions that offer technical education. Technical education refers to those aspects of educational process which involve, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding, and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life (FRN, 2004).

The goal of technical education is to give training and impact necessary skills leading to the production of craftsmen, technicians, and other skilled personnel who will be enterprising and self-reliant. Technical education is one such educational programmes that provide the youth with the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge for effective nation building. This skill is acquired in technical colleges.

REFERENCES

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Akinpelu, B. (1993). Relative effectiveness of Instructional Videotapes and Field tripe on the Teaching and Learning of Second Nigeria Language. Ghana Educational Media and Technology Association Journal 1. (1) p. 19.

Achieved Information (2001). Using technology to support education reform retrieved September 8, 2007 from htt://www.edgor/pubj/EdReformstudies/TechReforms/ chap26.html.

Adeniyi, A (1997). Computer Aided Instruction and Achievement in Physics, Proceedings of Ajomogabia Memorial conference on commemoration of 4th Anniversary of STAN. Lagos: Federal Ministry of Education.

CSN Team.

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