Comparative Analysis of Google Classroom and Zoom on Learning Outcomes among students in Electrical Instrumentation in Federal Polytechnics in South East Nigeria

Abstract

This research investigated how learning outcomes in Electrical Instrumentation courses at selected Federal Polytechnics in the South-Eastern states of Nigeria are influenced by instruction delivered through the Google Classroom and Zoom platforms. To direct the inquiry, the study articulated two objectives, two research questions, and two null hypotheses. A quasi-experimental design involving pre-test and post-test groups was employed. The research population was made up of two hundred and thirty-eight students enrolled in Electrical Engineering Technology at the five Federal Polytechnics in the South-East. From this population, a sample of ninety students was drawn, comprising three representative polytechnics, thereby ensuring that only those institutions equipped with the requisite ICT resources for blended instruction, especially those capable of hosting video-assisted learning, were included. To collect data, the researcher constructed an instrument referred to as the Electrical Instrumentation Performance Test (EIPT). The draft instrument underwent face and content validation by three scholarly peers from the Department of Industrial Technology at the University of Uyo. The instrument's reliability was subsequently estimated through a test-retest exercise that involved thirty subjects selected from the population. The reliability index was established using the Pearson product-moment correlation, yielding a coefficient of 0.83 for the End-of-Instruction-Performance-Test (EIPT). Google Classroom and Zoom-assisted lesson plans served as the experimental treatments administered to the two groups. Initially, the subjects completed a pre-test before a three-week intervention, after which a post-test was administered. A retention test was subsequently applied to both groups three weeks later. Descriptive statistics—means and standard deviations—were employed to address the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was deployed to evaluate the null hypotheses at a .05 significance level. Findings indicated a marginal advantage in post-test performance for the group instructed via Google Classroom, yet the difference was not statistically significant between the two platforms. It is, therefore, recommended that school heads promote routine integration of Google Classroom, Zoom, and similar online resources in instructional activities. Lecturers, in turn, should incorporate diverse, activity-based, game-centered methodologies to enhance learner engagement and connect theoretical content to world contexts.