Development and Validation of Autotronic Training Module for Automobile Technology Students in Polytechnics in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

A research was carried out to create and verify an autotronic training module for students studying vehicle technology at polytechnics located in Southern Nigeria. The design used for the project was Research and Development (R&D). An observation has been made that the curriculum of polytechnics in Nigeria lacks sufficient substance on autotronics technology. As a result, lecturers have challenges in fully imparting the abilities that are essential for the professional world. Undoubtedly, there is now a disparity between the training that craftsmen receive and the skills that are demanded by industries. The research was carried out in the southern region of Nigeria. The research focused on a specific demographic of 1,443 respondents. All the lecturers teaching automobile technology were included in the study, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select 75 automobile technicians from the region. A grand total of 122 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents with the assistance of five research assistants, one hailing from each state. The researcher created an 86-item questionnaire called the Autotronic Training Module Questionnaire (ATMQ). The 5-point Likert scale includes answer alternatives such as Highly Appropriate (HA) - 5, Appropriate (A) - 4, Moderately Appropriate (MA) - 3, Inappropriate (I) - 2, and Highly Inappropriate (HI) - 1, respectively. The tools (Questionnaire and Multiple Choice Questions) underwent face and content validity assessment by three (3) experts. The instrument's internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach Alpha reliability, resulting in a coefficient of .88. The collected data were analysed using the mean and standard deviation to address the study objectives. Additionally, the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). A criteria mean of 3.5 or above was considered 'acceptable', while anything below was considered 'inappropriate'. In addition, the F-calculated (F-cal) ratio was compared to the .05 probability level of significance for each hypothesis. If the F-ratio is lower than the .05 probability level of significance, the null hypothesis was rejected; otherwise, it was accepted. The research concluded that the goals, materials, training facilities, training method, instructors' activities, students' activities, and assessment procedures are suitable for incorporation into the autotronic training module in polytechnics in Southern Nigeria.