Electrical Installation: A Tool for Instructional Strategies Toward

Students’ good Academic Performance

 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Technical Education is designed to give training and impart the necessary

skills to individuals who shall be self-reliant economically. Electrical Installation is

an aspect of Technical Education. Trainees completing Electrical Installation

Programme in Technical Colleges are expected to secure employment either at

the end of the whole course or after completing one or more modules of

employable skill. It is expected as well that they should be able to set up their own

business and become self-employed and be able to employ others (FRN, 2004).

To fully achieve the foregoing objectives, effective teaching of Electrical

Installation could help to furnish the students with saleable skills and

competencies to enhance their development of self-reliant initiatives. Research

findings by Jacobs (1994) have shown that students’ academic performance is

declining dramatically. Such as teachers’ factors, students’ due to many factors

variables and school or environmental factors,

Instructional strategies are decisions about organizing people, materials

and ideas to provide learning (Nwachukon, 2005). Weston and Cranton (1986)

viewed instructional strategies as both the teaching method and the materials

used in the process of teaching. Instructional strategies determine the approach

a teacher may take to achieve learning objectives. Some of these instructional

strategies include demonstration, discussion, inquiry and lecture among others.

According to Saskatchewan Education (2002), Instructional skills are the most

specific category of teaching behaviours. They are necessary for procedural

purposes and for structuring appropriate learning experiences for students. These

include such techniques as questioning, discussion, directing giving, explaining

and demonstrating. Hence, students learn by doing, making writing designing,

creating and solving (Davis, 1993).

Demonstration teaching strategy links explanation with practice. It is a

method of teaching concepts, principles or real things by combining explanation

with handling or manipulation of real things, equipment or materials. Ogwo and

Oranu (2006) affirmed that demonstration strategy is the most widely used

instructional method for the acquisition of practical skills as it involves verbal and

practical illustrations of a given procedure. This method is seen to be highly

effective because it involves active participation of the students. Research

findings by Bayim (2004) on instructional strategies for the teaching of integrated

science in tertiary institutions revealed that the performance of students taught

with demonstration method was better than those students taught with lecture

method. Besides, research findings by Udom (2008) on the effects of teaching

strategies on students’ skill acquisition showed that there was a significant

difference between the effects of demonstration and lecture instructional

strategies on students’ skill acquisition in goat husbandry.

 Skills in the selection and utilization of appropriate instructional strategies

are required by the teacher for effective teaching. There is no one best approach

to instruction. Teaching effectively demands that the teacher must possess some

basic ability to organize, co-ordinate and utilize personal qualities, objectives and

competency in lesson preparation, presentation and evaluation. Besides, he must

be able to motivate the learners, make students active participants in learning,

use appropriate strategies and facilities to enhance effectiveness in instructions.

Some researchers recommended eclectic method (combination of strategies).

Teachers are also expected to implement a variety of instructional strategies in

order to meet the objectives of the programme as well as to address individual

student interest and needs (Saskatchewan Education, 2009). In view of the above

stated problems of teaching and learning electrical installation, this study

became necessary to determine the effects of instructional strategies on

students’ academic performance in Electrical Installation in Technical Colleges

and thus make appropriate recommendations on better instructional strategies

and skills for teaching Electrical Installation.

Instructions in Electrical Installation lack proper approaches in most cases.

When the students cannot easily follow the instructions, the lessons become

boring and engender negative attitude and low interest to the students towards

the course being taught. This eventually results in low academic performance by

the students. It was noted that difference in the performance of students has

been attributed to teachers’ methods or techniques of lesson presentation

(Udom, 2008). Onyejiaku (1994) observed that whenever any individual is

determined to succeed and is properly guided using effective strategy, the

student in most cases performs excellently. Against the background of

inappropriate instructional strategies being used in teaching Electrical Installation

which results.

Research Question :

1. What differences exist between the effects of discussion and lecture

strategies on the academic performance of students in Electrical

Installation?

2. What differences exist between the effects of demonstration and inquiry

strategies on the academic performance of students in Electrical

Installation?

3. What differences exist between the effects of demonstration and lecture

strategies on the academic performance of students in Electrical

Installation?

4. What differences exist between the effects of inquiry and lecture strategies

on the academic performance of students in Electrical Installation?

 Chapter 2

A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

In this chapter, the research described the facet of the main problem, its

current situation and its variable through related literature and studies sourced

mainly in books, journals, the internet, and other studies. This review includes: 1.

Teaching Materials: Tools, Machines and Equipment in Electrical Installation 2.

Strategies for supervising Skills Acquisition Practices in Electrical Installation 3.

Strategies for Assessing Practical Skills of Students

Teaching Materials: Tools, Machines and Equipment in Electrical Installation

http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1383578011_Bello%20and%20Sh

u%E2%80%99aibu.pdf

A technical teacher cannot teach effectively without the use of functional,

required tools, equipment and machines in the workshop. The environment in

which the teaching/learning would take place must also be conducive. Puyate

(2004) pointed out that effective vocational and technical training would not be

possible without adequate arrangements for the provision of required instructional

facilities. This indicated that the availability and effective utilization of facilities for

training in any technical college enhances the vital process of the skills to be

acquired. Effective training also empowers trainees/students to be productive

and contribute positively to the development of every nation. Inadequate

facilities for teaching/learning technical trades have been observed by a number

of scholars/researchers in technical and vocational education: some of them

noted the gross inadequacy, unavailability and nonfunctional state of the

facilities (Okorie, and Ezeji, 1998; Bassey, 2000) respectively. Others observed the

out dated nature of the installed machines and the lack of proper maintenance

culture to promote life expectancy of the workshop facilities (Puyate, 2004 & Bello,

2004). This could however be attributed to the fact that most of the essential tools,

equipment and the heavy machines used for instructional purposes in technical

colleges are imported product and consequently apart from being scarce are

certainly very expensive.

Emah (2005) observed that the expendable materials required to be used

together with the equipment and machines for practices and for carrying out

students project in technical and vocational programmes are lacking in schools

thereby denying students and teachers the opportunity to use the facilities as at

when due.

The adverse effect is the production of half baked vocational and

technical education teachers (Oluteju, 2007). The present study, therefore,

intends to assess the state of facilities for teaching electrical installation in

technical colleges. This is an attempt to offer useful suggestions that would help

in curtailing the menace.

Strategies for supervising Skills Acquisition Practices in Electrical Installation

http://www.theijes.com/papers/v5-i10/F050103040.pdf

Technical teachers’ preparation according to Aina (1990) is very

fundamental if and only if such teachers are to perform the necessary and

acceptable task in the methodology of inculcating knowledge, practical

techniques in student. They should be fully trained and be proficient craftsmen

with reasonable period of industrial and practical experiences (Ma’aji, 2002).

Supporting Aina (1990)’s assertion, Okoro (1993) declared that all practical

courses must stress practical activity (so that the student can be proficient in their

respective field of specializations). Any technical course in which a large portion

of the allotted time is not Auta 97 devoted to practical work, projects, and

experiment is not likely to be very successful” The realization of the above

mentioned objectives as outlined in the Minimum Academic Standard (2008) lies

on the use of appropriate evaluation techniques; as “…evaluation is a learning

process” (Enemali, 2010).

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, one of the problems associated with skills training is

evaluation (Okorie & Ezeji, 1988, Okoro, 2000). This situation necessitates this study

to identify strategies for evaluation of students’ proficiency in practical skills in NCE

(Technical) Building Technology Education. Strategies For Improving Students’

Acquisition Of Practical Skills In Electrical Installation.

Strategies for Assessing Practical Skills of Students

Prosser (1949), in his theory of Vocational Education pointed out that for

every occupation there is a minimum of productive ability, which an individual

must possess in order to, secure or retain employment in the occupation. The

teachers of vocational and technical education must adopt a practical

approach to their lesson delivery. Consequently, the use of activity based

instruction is most important. Thus, the traditional method of lesson delivery is

giving way to activity based instruction. Activity based instruction is the form of

classroom activity where the teacher effectively involves the learner in a task. The

focus here is on making the abstract concrete and on learning by doing. Francis

(2010), pointed out that the activity based instruction can be teacher driven with

direction from an instructor or learner driven with the learner having freedom to

explore.

Subong (2010), observed that teaching methods has gone from initiation

during the early stage of educational development to non-traditional and

modern methods in the present educational set-up. Certain strategies and

techniques have come into existence with accompanying frameworks to make

the best out of every student through innovative, efficient, and effective

instruction. This approach provides opportunities for students to express their

freedom to explore possible ways to solve a certain problem or to manipulate

materials with the teacher’s role reduced to that of facilitator.

Data Collection Procedure

The researchers used several resources that are related and needed in this study

unpublished thesis, and internet in order to get substantial information.

The researchers personally administered the distribution of instrument to the

actual respondents and waited for the questionnaires

The primary focus of the study is Bachelor of Secondary Education Technology

and Livelihood Education

Data Analysis

To analysis the data on Instructional Strategies and Students’ Academic

Performance in Electrical Installation in Technical Colleges: Instructional Skills for

Structuring Appropriate Learning Experiences for

Bachelor of Secondary Education the researchers made us of questionnaires.

This gave the researchers, Technical Skills and the Academic performance of

Students in Bachelor of Secondary Education Technology and Livelihood

Education, The results and conclusion of the researchers were primary based on

these data.
Data Gathering

Data will be collected through a student questionnaire, to be administered during

the second quarter of School Year 2017-2018. The survey will consist of questions

on a ranger of topics related to

CONCLUSIONS

Result of data analyses revealed that there is a significant difference

between the effects of discussion and lecture instructional strategies on students’

academic performance in Electrical Installation. The findings of the study go in

accordance with the work of Ekpo (1998) that lecture method was not better

than other instructional methods and there was no reason to believe that

teaching and learning could be handled properly with lecture method of

instruction. The findings of the study are backed up with the works of Etuk et al.,

(2004); Saskatchewan Education (2009) that lectured contents are often rapidly

forgotten. The findings of the study also indicated that there is a significant

difference between the effects of demonstration and inquiry instructional

strategies on students’ academic performance in Electrical Installation. In support

of the findings of the study, Ugwuanyi (1998) and Offiong (2007) in their related

studies on the effects of instructional strategies on students’ academic

performances revealed higher performance in favour of students taught with

demonstration than those taught with inquiry method.

The implication of the findings to education is that students learn best when

the right or appropriate instructional strategy is used in the teaching and learning

situations. In addition, certain topics which can be taught effectively with

discussion or inquiry strategy may not be handled very well with demonstration

strategy and vice versa the students are motivated to learn when they are

actively involved in class activities.

Based on the data analyzed, findings and discussion made, it is concluded

that instructional strategies differ significantly in their effects on academic

performance of students in Electrical Installation. The learning outcomes of

students’ are enhanced when they are exposed to activities.

Recommendations

The Electrical Installation teachers should be properly trained by

government through workshops and seminars on the selection and utilization of

instructional strategies and materials. Teachers should make efforts to ensure that

students are properly exposed to practical activities through demonstration in

order to facilitate easy understanding of lessons and skills acquisition. The

eclectic method of teaching which involves the combination of two or more

instructional strategies should be adopted in lesson delivery by teachers of

Electrical Installation to enhance effectiveness in teaching and learning.

Due to varying degrees of performances observed in instructional

strategies, variety of teaching (ecletic) methods and techniques should be used

in lesson delivery to enhance effectiveness in teaching and learning Electrical

Installation. Teachers should ensure that students are well exposed to class

activities such as questioning, discussing, practical work among others to boost

their pace of learning and skills acquisition. Arrangements should be made by

Government to give 6 to 12 months training to the newly employed Electrical

Installation Teachers on the selection and utilization of instructional facilities.