EFFECT OF COMPUTER SIMULATION ON STUDENT ACADEMICACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CRAFTPRACTICE IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the effect of computer Simulation on students’ Academic Achievement and Retention in MECPT in Technical Colleges in Kano State. The study will adopt quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group research design. The population of the study comprised of 128 NTC II Students. Purposive sampling technique was use for the study based on availability of professionally qualified staff, computer facilities  for  teaching,  regular  electricity   supply  and  availability  of  teachers  willing  to participate as research assistance. The instrument use for data collection was achievement and retention test developed by the researchers tagged: “Mechanical Engineering Craft Practice Trade Achievement and Retention Test” (MECPTART) constructed with five point rating scale which was subjected to validation by two experts. The validated instrument was tested for internal consistency and reliability. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.74. The study was guided by four research questions. The data collected for the study were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation to answer the research questions while Analysis  of  Covariance  (ANCOVA)  was  used  to  test  the  hypotheses  at  0.05  level  of significance. The pre-test and post-test scores were used for data analyses using Statistical Package  for  the  Social  Sciences  (SPSS).  The  study  revealed  that  high  achievers  in  the experimental group had higher mean gain than academic achievement than high achievers in the  control  group.  Also  low  achievers  in  the  experimental  group  gained  more  than  low achievers in the control group.