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

The need to improve students’ academic achievement in auto mechanics technology necessitated this study. The study investigated the effect of cognitive apprenticeship instructional method on students’ academic achievement and retention in auto mechanics technology in technical colleges in Delta State. Three research questions guided the study and three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted the quasi-experimental research design. Specifically, the pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group experimental design was used. Population of the study was 237 vocational II auto mechanic students in the six technical colleges in Delta State. A sample of 114 was used for the study. Instrument for data collection was Auto Mechanic Achievement Test (AMAT). The instruments was validated by three experts (two from Technology and Vocational Education Department and one from Measurement and Evaluation unit of Educational Foundation Department all in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. The reliability coefficient of Auto Mechanics Achievement Test (AMAT) was established using Kunder Richardson 21 Formula and the reliability coefficients of 0.75 was obtained. Arithmetic mean was used to analyse data relating to research questions, while analysis of covariance ANCOVA was used to test the null hypotheses. Findings revealed that students taught auto mechanics technology using cognitive apprenticeship instructional method achieved and retained better than those taught with demonstration method. Conclussion was drawn that cognitive apprenticeship instructional method is an innovative and effective mode of instruction with capacity to improve students’ learning outcome. Consequently, it was recommended among others that technical teachers should use cognitive apprenticeship instructional method in teaching auto mechanics course so as to enhance students’ academic achievement and knowledge retention.