EFFECT OF COGNITIVE APPRENTICESHIP INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD ON STUDFNTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT,RETENTION AND INTEREST IN AUTO MECHANICS TECHNOLOGY IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES

Background to the Study

In a rapid developing country like Nigeria, the need for educational institutions to produce craftsmen and master craftsmen with job-related skills and competence required in the work place has been a major concern to employers of labour. These cadres of human capital Adelakun (2011) pointed out are mostly trained at the technical colleges.

Technical college is the post basic school level of Nigeria vocational education system, which was established to produce craftsmen and master craftsmen. Technical college programme is intended to prepare students for entry into various occupations. In technical colleges, students are trained to acquire relevant knowledge and skills in different occupations for employment in the world of work. According to Federal Republic of Nigeria, (FRN) (2013), the students of technical colleges upon graduation are expected to either be employable in the industry or be self employed. In order to achieve this goal, technical college curriculum was split into different trades with corresponding modules so as to enable learners choose and accomplish trade of their interest successfully. One among the various trades offered at

the technical colleges is the automobile trade whose components include auto electric works, motor vehicle mechanics, vehicle body building and agricultural implement mechanics.

Auto mechanics, according to FRN (2013), is one of the vocational trades offered at the technical college level as motor vehicle mechanics. The philosophy of auto mechanics programme according to the National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE) (2013) is to produce competent craftsmen and technicians in auto mechanics trade for Nigeria’s technological and industrial development. Auto mechanics craftsmen are expected to test, diagnose, service and completely repair any fault relating to the conventional vehicles and also assemble main units and systems by following the manufacturers’ specifications. It is important therefore, that auto mechanics technicians are equipped with current skills and knowledge to be able to efficiently carry out maintenance work and repair modern highly automated and computerized electronics gadgets in modern vehicles. To achieve these objectives auto mechanic teachers need to adopt instructional methods that have strong links to the needs of the workplace. The appropriate teaching and learning of auto mechanic will qualify students for the world of work. It will enhance their academic achievement and as well qualify them for higher educational level that would enable them become knowledgeable in the field of technology. It is

against this backdrop that researchers, such as Daluba (2013), Vincent and Akpan (2014), Amaechi and Thompson (2016) as well as Osuyi and Ainetor (2018), recommend that demonstration teaching method be used for teaching within vocational education community.

Demonstration teaching method refers to the type of teaching method in which the teacher is the principal actor while the learners watch with the intention to act later. Here the teacher does whatever the learners are expected to do at the end of the lesson by showing them how to do it and explaining the step-by-step process to them (Adekoya & Olatoye, 2011). Daluba (2013) described it as a display or an exhibition usually done by the teacher while the students watch with keen interest. Daluba further added that, it involves showing how something works or the steps involved in the process. It is a method of teaching concepts, principles of real things by combining explanation with handling or manipulation of real things, materials or equipment (Akinbobola & Ikitde, 2011). Demonstrations provide a multi- sensory means to describe a concept, idea, or product that may otherwise be difficult to grasp by verbal description alone (Cabibihan, 2013). The act of demonstrating readily helps to kindle more natural interactions between the students and the teacher.

In demonstration teaching method, according to Dorgu (2015), the role of the teacher is to illustrate how to do something or illustrate a principle first by explaining the nature of the act verbally, followed by demonstrating the act in a systematic manner and later the students repeat the act. Demonstration is useful mostly in imparting psychomotor skills and lessons that require practical knowledge. The gains of using demonstration method in teaching lies in the fact that it bridges the gap between theory and practice, enables learners to become good observers and generate their interest; students see immediate progress as a result of a correct effort and it enables the teacher to teach manipulative and operational skills.

The demonstration teaching method according to McCabe (2014), is an attention inducer and a powerful motivator in lesson delivery. It gives a real- life situation of course of study as students acquire skills in real-life situations using tools and materials; it helps to motivate students when carried out by skilled teachers and it is good in showing the appropriate ways of doing things. The demonstration strategy is effective for long-term memory retention and appropriate for practical skills acquisition.

Although the demonstration method is a wonderful way to explain things to students, it however seems not to be yielding the desired result in auto mechanic trade in technical colleges. This is because there is still

persistent high failure rate among technical college students especially in auto mechanic trade as shown in Appendix B on page 128. This is a challenge which necessitates the investigation of the use of another instructional method like the cognitive apprenticeship instructional method (CAIM).

Cognitive apprenticeship instructional method is a teaching method in which experts teach a skill to a novice through guided experience on cognitive and meta cognition. It is a learning relationship in which an expert (teacher or more knowledgeable peer) stretches and supports a novice’s understanding of the use of the culture’s skills. It is a process that enables the teachers move from focusing on what students know to focusing on what students can do with what they know. It attempts to bring tacit processes out in the open. The term underscores the importance of activity in learning and highlights the situated nature of learning. In cognitive apprenticeship instructional method, the teacher often model strategies for students. Then, the teacher or more skilled peer support students’ effort at doing the task. Finally, students are encouraged to continue their work independently. The focus of this learning through guided experience is the combination of cognitive, meta-cognitive and physical skills rather than only the physical skills as in the case of traditional apprenticeship in auto mechanics.

In cognitive apprenticeship instructional method, learners are invited into the actual practices of a knowledge domain and are asked to perform these practices as an apprentice or intern (Garner, 2012). Learning in CAIM is embedded in a setting that is more like work with an authentic connection to students’ lives. Students interact with experts, who model and explain their actions and decisions. When the students participate in the processes by which an expert practice skills, it can help the learners learn on their own more skillfully (Garner, 2012).

In CAIM the teacher presents a range of tasks varying from specific to diverse. The teacher also encourages students to reflect and articulate the elements which are common across tasks (Vanessa & Kerry, 2014). As the teacher presents the targeted skill to students, the students can increasingly vary the context in which those skills are used. The goal according to Gerard and Eric (2011) is to help students generalize the skill or knowledge so that it could be transferred and applied independently to different settings. Teo, Cooper and Eric (2015) observed that modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection and exploration are the primary components of cognitive apprenticeship instructional method.

In modeling the instructor sets the example. In coaching the instructor guides the students. In scaffolding the instructor offers feedbacks and hints to students. In articulation, students articulate their knowledge and problem- solving process. In reflection, students compare their own problem-solving process with that of the teachers, while the students try to solve their own problems in exploration. No matter which aspect of the CAIM component that is used, students will ultimately have to practice the task on their own after practicing with the teacher, using materials clearly provided by the teacher and imitating the teacher’s actions to complete the task themselves. What seems to be unique in this method according to Vanessa and Kerry (2014) is that it sufficiently enables the learner to concretize phenomena through personal interpretation of experience which could enhance their academic achievement.

Academic achievement represents the outcome that indicates the extent to which a person has accomplished specific goals that were the focus of activities in instructional environments, specifically in schools. Tella (2010) posited that academic achievement is used to measure student’s success in educational institutions or how well students meet standard set out by examining bodies or the institution. Eze, Ezenwafor and Molokwu (2015)

contended that a student’s academic achievement is dependent on several

 

factors such as, learning environment, instructional methods and teaching strategy, teachers’ attitude and enthusiasm, as well as students’ attitude and background. Among these factors, the instructional method used by teachers, challenge students to work at higher intellectual level that would improve their academic achievement and retention of learning.

The implication of this is that teachers especially in technical colleges should develop and employ instructional methods which should encourage learners to participate actively in the learning process. Teachers should promote instructional methods which could bring about improved relationship and interaction among students and their teachers. It is therefore hoped that when these are achieved by teachers in technical colleges, it would challenge students to work at higher intellectual level that would improve their academic achievement and retention of learning.

Retention of learning is simply the ability to remember what has been learnt. Joda and Mohamed (2017), stated that retention is the ability to retain the knowledge of what is learnt and to be able to recall it when it is required. Maigida (2013) defined retention as the preservative factor of the mind. Maigida posited that whatever touches consciousness leaves trace or impression and is retained in the mind in form of images. This implies     that

for one to talk about retention, one must have been exposed to certain

experiences or activities such as teaching. Retention is usually measured in collaboration with academic achievement. It is therefore seen as the achievement on a subject after a certain period of time. Retention helps in knowledge development. Knowledge development can be guaranteed when effective teaching methods are used in the teaching and learning process. Baker and Robinson (2017) contented that the use of appropriate instructional method could enhance students’ retention which could in turn improve academic achievement of students. The assumption is that when effective method is employed for instruction, it aids students to internalize what they have been taught in order to correctly and successfully remember and apply it on a later date. Since it is presumed by the researcher that cognitive apprenticeship instructional method could enhance students’ academic achievement, it is equally important to determine whether students’ retention ability can be achieved.

Apart from the use of appropriate teaching strategy in the classroom, another important role of the teacher is to ensure the use of motivational techniques to secure and sustain the attention and interest of the learner. If the teaching strategy is fascinating, students’ interest would be aroused. Therefore, in order to facilitate teaching and learning in auto mechanics trade, the interest of the students is also a relevant factor.

Interest is a tendency to become absorbed in an experience and to continue it. It is the zeal or willingness of participating in activity from which one derives some pleasure (Omeje, 2011). The interest in a particular thing is a feeling manifested in an activity. According to George (2016) interest plays a major role in any undertaking as it influences devotion to duties, fairness, firmness, honesty, endurance, and discipline. This fact according to George, indicated that interest is a factor that correlate positively and significantly with competence, because students achieve significantly in those areas they had interest, and achieve poorly in the areas they lack interest.

Learner’s interest is very important in the study of any subject because the interest of a learner is in many ways the reflections of the deeds (Nwachukwu, 2016). Therefore, it is pertinent to say that the interest of a student in a particular trade or career plays a long role in the academic achievement of such student. Nworgu (2015) indicated that there is a very close relationship between a student’s interest and academic achievement. Nworgu further explained that individual interest have personal significance and are usually associated with high levels of knowledge and value, positive emotions and increased reference value. Oyenuga (2010) submitted that it is up to a teacher to make a subject interesting. Oyenuga further stressed that the teacher can help in setting up certain conditions that will enable the students

to create interest in the subject. From the above, interest is seen to play a mediator role in academic achievement, especially between instructional process and academic outcomes. However, interest of a student in any subject is borne out of motivation and attitude exhibited by the teacher in the course of teaching. Also, students’ morale and interest irrespective of gender can be dampened if a teacher uses ineffective instructional method.

However, Chukwu (2012) laid emphasis on the need for teachers to stimulate students’ interest in learning without which students’ achievement will be minimal. Therefore it is pertinent that auto mechanic teachers use teaching strategy which could motivate students’ curiosity and interest. The researcher therefore believes that the use of appropriate instructional strategy such as CAIM for teaching in auto mechanic can provoke significant interest among students irrespective of gender.

Gender refers to the biological and physiological reality of being male or female (Igbo, Onu & Obiyo 2015). Igbo et al, described gender as a behaviour pattern and attitude perceived as a masculine and feminine within a culture. Furthermore, Olaoye and Adu (2015) described gender as a psychological term, which describes behaviours and attributes expected of individual on the basis of being a male or female. It is a social and cultural construct which distinguishes difference in the attributes of men and women,

boys and girls and accordingly refers to the roles of men and women (Santrock, 2010). Over the years, education has focused on closing the enrolment gap between male and female students, while insufficient attention has been paid to the differences in their achievement. According to Odagboyi (2015), adopting an approach that takes into account the relationship between male and female students will not only lead to improving equality of students’ enrolment, but will also address equality of educational outcomes among male and female students. It will also ensure that both male and female students are fully able to realize the benefit of education. In general, students irrespective of gender could do well in all subjects if the appropriate instructional method is used in teaching the students.

However, it has been observed that the few students that offer auto mechanics in technical colleges perform poorly in external examination such as National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) as shown in Appendix B on page 128. The implication is that the demonstration method mostly used in teaching auto mechanic students in technical colleges seems not to be yielding the desired result. Therefore, it is pertinent that auto- mechanics teachers use teaching strategy which ensures active involvement of students in learning irrespective of gender and also stimulates their interest to improve academic achievement, retention and interest in technical colleges.

On the other hand, various scholars (Abubakar 2012; Maigida 2013; Vanessa & Kerry 2014; Farzaneh , Rohani, Ahmad & Kamariah, 2015) have revealed that cognitive apprenticeship instructional method has significant effects on students’ academic achievement and retention in many other subjects in arts, social and physical sciences. However, no consideration has been made to ascertain the effects of CAIM on students’ academic achievement, retention and interest in auto mechanic technology in Delta State. Therefore, there is need for the study to investigate the effect of CAIM on students’ academic achievement, retention and interest in auto mechanics technology in technical colleges.