EFFECTS OF e-CONTENT ON STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN LEARNING OF AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING SYSTEM IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the effects of e-content on students’ achievement and interest in the learning of automobile lighting systems in technical colleges in Niger State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by persistent low academic performance and declining interest among students in technical subjects, particularly in automobile technology, which has been attributed to the continued reliance on conventional teaching methods. A quasi-experimental research design, specifically the non-equivalent control group design, was adopted. The study involved technical college students who were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group was exposed to e-content-based instruction, while the control group received conventional teaching. Data were collected using an Automobile Lighting System Achievement Test (ALSAT) and an Automobile Lighting System Interest Inventory (ALSII), both of which were validated and tested for reliability. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that students taught using e-content performed significantly better in achievement tests and demonstrated higher levels of interest compared to those taught using conventional methods. The study further indicated that the integration of e-content enhances students’ engagement, conceptual understanding, and retention of technical knowledge. The study concluded that e-content is an effective instructional approach for improving both academic achievement and interest in automobile lighting systems. It was recommended that technical college instructors should adopt e-content in teaching automobile technology, and that relevant stakeholders should support the provision of digital instructional resources and training for effective implementation.