Digital Pedagogy Tools for Enhancing the Teaching and Learning of Electrical/Electronic Technology Practical Skills in Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State

Abstract

The primary aim of Electrical/Electronic Technology in tertiary institutions is to equip students with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship upon graduation. However, the acquisition of such skills is constrained by inadequate workshop facilities, safety hazards, high costs of components, and the abstract nature of electrical concepts. These challenges limit students’ competence in circuit design and troubleshooting for employment. In response, digital pedagogy tools such as Electric Circuit Augmented Reality (AR), Learning Management Systems (LMS), and Proteus Design Suite have emerged as potential solutions for enhancing practical instruction. This study therefore determined the extent to which digital pedagogy tools enhance the teaching and learning of Electrical/Electronic Technology practical skills in tertiary institutions in Rivers State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses tested at the .05 level of significance guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population comprised 40 respondents, consisting of 32 Electrical/Electronic Technology lecturers and 8 instructors from tertiary institutions in Rivers State, and a census sampling technique was used. A structured questionnaire titled Digital Pedagogy Tools for Enhancing the Teaching and Learning of Electrical/Electronic Technology Practical Skills Questionnaire (DPTTLEETPSQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts and had a reliability coefficient of .81 using Cronbach’s Alpha. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while independent samples t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that Electric Circuit AR tools, Learning Management System tools, and Proteus Design Suite tools enhance the teaching and learning of Electrical/Electronic Technology practical skills to a High Extent. It was recommended that tertiary institutions in Rivers State formally integrate Electric Circuit AR, LMS, and Proteus Design Suite into the Electrical/Electronic Technology curriculum; that government andinstitutional management provide adequate infrastructure and licensed software; and that joint capacity-building workshops be organized for lecturers and instructors on the pedagogical application of these tools.