Influence of Gender and Institutional Type on the Use of a Computer-Assisted Instructional Package for Teaching Metalwork Technology at Nigerian Certificate in Education (Technical) Level

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the influence of gender and institutional type on the use
of a Computer-Assisted Instructional (CAI) package for teaching Metalwork Technology
(MWT) at the Nigerian Certificate in Education (Technical) level. Two research questions
and two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study at 0.05 level of
significance. The study used the post- test only type of experimental research design. One
hundred and forty students of 200 level NCE (Technical) programme were used as
respondents in the study from the six participating institutions in the North-Central geopolitical
zone of the country. A pilot study was conducted in the study. The data obtained
from the pilot study were used to establish the reliability of the research instrument (r=0.89)
and conduct item analysis of facility index and discrimination index of the test. The
subjects were taught MWT using CAI package and administered with MWTAT as posttest.
The data from the post-test were analyzed using the mean to answer the two research
questions and t-test statistics to test the two hypotheses in the study. The study found that,
female students performed better than their male counterparts and students in the
Polytechnics performed better than those in the Colleges of Education respectively. The
study also revealed that, there were no significant differences in the performances of male
and female students (t-value=0.83) and between those in the Polytechnics and the Colleges
of Education taught MWT with CAI package (t-value=0.08). The study was concluded
that, both gender and institutional type does not have influence on the academic
performances of students taught MWT with CAI package. Some recommendations made
in the study were, institutions offering NCE (Technical) programme should have well
equipped computer centers for teaching and learning and should use CAI package for
teaching and testing students.