Effects of e-Learning Teaching Methods on Students’ Retention in Electrical Machine Winding in Government Science and Technical Colleges of Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of e-learning teaching methods on students’ retention in electrical machine winding in Government Science and Technical Colleges (GSTCs) of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The persistent problem of poor skill retention among graduates, exacerbated by academic disruptions and the limitations of conventional demonstration methods, provided the impetus for the research. The study was guided by three specific objectives, two research questions, and three null hypotheses. A quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test, non-equivalent control group design was adopted. The population comprised all 139 National Technical Certificate (NTC) II students in the EIMW trade. A sample of 92 students from two randomly selected GSTCs participated, with GSTC Yola (n=43) as the experimental group (taught using e-learning) and GSTC Numan (n=49) as the control group (taught using the demonstration method). Data were collected using the Electrical Machine Winding Retention Test (EMWRT). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while ANCOVA were used to test the hypotheses.The findings revealed a statistically significant difference in the retention scores between the two groups, with students in the e-learning group outperforming their counterparts in the demonstration group. This indicates that e-learning methods are more effective for promoting long-term retention of practical skills. Furthermore, the study found a significant difference in the retention scores of male and female students. Importantly, a significant interaction effect was observed between teaching methods and gender on retention, suggesting that the effectiveness of the instructional approach varies based on the learner's gender. The study concludes that e-learning is a potent and resilient pedagogical strategy for enhancing skill retention in technical education. It is recommended that the Adamawa State should integrate a blended learning model, incorporate e-learning tools, and provide teachers with gender-sensitive training to optimize learning outcomes for all students.