AN ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF AUTOTRONICS SERVICING STRATEGIES IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The mechanics of
autotronics entails the conglomeration that posed the complexity of
autotronics working operations and consequently a challenge to mechanics
and auto-electricians, towards troubleshooting – finding faults and
diagnosing automotive electronic problems. This is as a result of
industrial revolution in the automobile industry with sophistication in
car designs. The rapid changes and increased complexity in the
automotive industry present new challenges and put new demands on the
education system. Generally, there has been a growing awareness of the
necessity to change and improve the preparation of students for
productive functioning in the continually changing and highly demanding
environment. This shift for a change has allowed for new insight on how
students accumulate knowledge as they relied on the teacher as passive
listener, while the teachers act as a director and a transmitter of
knowledge. The computer literacy knowledge requirement by the technical
college students as a servicing strategy for automobile is of great
importance for the development of the automotive industry and the
nation.
The modern automated cars are highly computerized and require
the knowledge of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to
handle the highly sensitive computerized diagnosing devices/equipment
for troubleshooting, and analysis. With the advent of ICT equipment,
there has been an explosion in the advances of computer-related
technologies in teaching and learning in the classrooms and
laboratories. The computer is an electronic device which is designed to
accept an ordered sequence of instruction given to it in an appropriate
language and to carry out these instructions with great speed and
accuracy. Ozoagu (2007) asserted that, recent advances in communication
technologies and their use in science and technology education provides
an opportunity for educators to take a critical look at how these tools
are being integrated into the classroom and laboratory.
There is
urgent need to assess the academic training and students’ knowledge in
autotronics servicing strategies of auto-mechanics students of technical
colleges. Most significantly, close attention must be paid to the
assessment on the use of tools in ways conducive with cognitive
processes of how students effectively learn and acquire knowledge and
skills in auto-mechanics technology.
Technology is the complex
integrated organization of men and machines, ideas, procedures and
management. It includes processes, systems, and management and control
mechanisms both human and non-human. Technology could be seen as the
systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to
practical tasks. It is a complete integrated process for analyzing
problems, controlling and evaluating the solution to those problems.
Auto-mechanic
technology is one of the courses for the students of technical colleges
which enable students to acquire knowledge and skills for gainful
employment in various aspects of auto-mechanic technology which
includes: auto-mechanic technicians, auto-body, mechanics, spare parts
dealers, wheel balancing/alignment, auto-electricians and vulcanizers.
The increasing and more sophisticated automobile, the more difficult it
is to repair or service those exported to developing countries like
Nigeria.
The success of integrating the knowledge of autotronics
servicing strategies into the students of auto-mechanics in technical
colleges depends largely on the skills, knowledge and competence of
teachers. Although situational assessments tend to emphasize
application of learning, and applications are built on a disciplinary
foundation. The success of assessment of content learning will depend
on the expertise demonstrated in the design of the applied assessment.
An
assessment of the output of the technical college who have undergone
auto-mechanics without a sound knowledge of autotronics constitutes a
waste. Brimor and Paul (2001) in Nkasiobi and Ejimaji (2010) defined
waste in science education as the degree to which actual educational
output fails to correspond with the stated educational goals within a
given period of time. Inadequate resource allocation which in turn,
leads to failure in the attainment of a nation’s educational goals and
objectives may be classified as waste in education. Therefore, the
concept of waste in technical education refers to those constraints
which make it impossible for the nation’s educational goals to be
achieved in relation to the resources invested. Waste in education
affects all levels of educational institutions such as pre-primary,
primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Olaitan (2002), viewed
waste as the degree to which human and material resources developed and
made available are grossly under utilized or neglected. This means that
the output of an educational programme will be incongruent with the
nation’s educational goals.
Onifade (2005) asserted that, most
graduates are not properly prepared for work, especially for the
industries. He maintained that, there is growing concern among
industrialists that products of technical institutions do not possess
adequate work skills necessary for employment in industries.
Nevertheless, it is expected that the knowledge acquired in schools,
laboratories, Field Trips/SIWES to the industries will prepare the
students and equip them with the necessary competences that will enable
them secure and maintain relevant jobs on graduation, but this is hardly
being achieved. In view of this, it is obvious that, industrial growth
and development will stall and continue to be delayed, if students are
not fully equipped with the required knowledge. This however,
consequentially creates concern and the crave for assessment of the
students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies in technical
colleges.
Statement of the Problem
However plausible an educational policy
appears to be, and at whatever level, its success is a function of an
assessment of students’ knowledge in theory and practice. Technical
education programmes generally, require appropriate assessment towards
facilitating maximum attainment of the set objectives.
For Nigeria to
attain automobile technological excellence, it requires an assessment
of students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies (SKASS) in
technical colleges. This means that their interest and performances in
the area of autotronics must be assessed for greater achievement in
relation to resources available. The United Nations Educational
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2003) reported that the
provision of basic resources as well as the effective utilization are
the important issues in science education programmes. The reason is
based on the fact that resources for setting up a standard service
station for automobile servicing are costly and needed for its
successful implementation.
Technical education particularly at the
secondary level recently received significant recognition by the Federal
Government. The degree of its commitment in practical terms however is
still unclear. Also, a deeper view seems to reveal a low students’
interest in technical education, a deplorable state of technical
colleges and a low quality products of these colleges offering and their
employability, which sends dangerous signals for the system.
It is
these unclear circumstances of technical education at the secondary
level that have motivated this study; an assessment of students’
knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies in technical colleges in
Benue State.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to carry
out an Assessment Of Students’ Knowledge of Autotronics Servicing
Strategy (ASKASS), in technical colleges in Benue state to ascertain the
extent of state-of-the-art in their use of testing and diagnostic
equipment for the modern car. Specifically, the study will:
Identify the activities performed by students that will influence their knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies.
Identify
the facilities/equipment used in the colleges that will enhance the
students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies.
Assess the
facilities/equipment used in the colleges, that will enhance the
competences of students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies.
Assess the extent of skills acquisition in autotronics servicing strategies.
Find out what is responsible for low interest and low quality output of auto-mechanic in autotronics servicing strategies.
Research Questions
The following are the research questions formulated for the study:
What are the activities performed by students that will influence their knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies.
How does acquisition of students’ knowledge of autotronics skills enhance servicing strategies in automobile.
What
are the facilities/equipment used in laboratories/workshops for
training that will influence students’ knowledge of autotronics
servicing strategies (SKASS) in automated cars.
What is the
effectiveness of the facilities/equipment used in laboratories/workshops
that will influence SKASS in the modern cars.
What is responsible for the low interest and low quality output of auto-mechanics that will influence SKASS in today’s cars.
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses which will be tested at .05 level of significance will guide this study:
Ho1:
There will be no significant difference in the mean responses of the
auto-mechanics teacher and the students on the nature of activities
perform by the students that will influence SKASS.
Ho2: There will
be no significant difference in the mean responses of the auto-mechanics
teacher and the students on skills acquisition in autotronics by
students to enhance SKASS.
Ho3: There will be no significant
difference in the mean responses of auto-mechanics teacher and the
students on facilities/equipment used in the schools.
Laboratory/workshop to influence SKASS.
Ho4: There will be no
significant difference in the mean responses on the effectiveness of
facilities/equipment in schools laboratory/ workshop to influence SKASS.
Ho5:
There is no significant difference in the mean responses of
auto-mechanics teacher and the students on low interest and low quality
output of auto-mechanics to influence SKASS.
Significance of the Study
The study will be of immense benefit to
auto-mechanics teachers as it will help them to be aware of the
identified short-falls inherent in students’ knowledge of fault
diagnosis in automobile. It will also help them to improve their
instructional delivery techniques in autotronics servicing strategies as
well as enhance accuracy in trouble-shooting, diagnosing, maintenance
and servicing of the modern cars.
The study will reveal whether the
skills imparted unto the students of auto-mechanics in colleges are
relevant to the automobile industries or the world of work in general.
The
findings of the study will help improve auto-mechanics at the technical
college level in Nigeria. Both government administrators of technical
colleges, organizations/industries, society, future researchers, parents
and individuals will benefit from the findings of the study.
Since
the solution to whatever problem lies first in its assessment and
identification, the study will promote teachers effectiveness and
consequently students’ knowledge and achievement both in theory and
practice of autotronics servicing.
The study will not only add but
also stand as the foundation for subsequent literature in autotronics an
area of automobile technology.
Moreso, the findings of the study
will provide information which will be utilized by the curriculum
developers for update or adjustment in the curriculum. The information
will hopefully influence future trend in automobile technology
curriculum development for rapid economic development.
Scope of the Study
This study is strictly concerned with an
assessment of students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies
(ASKASS) in Technical Colleges in Benue State.
It is however the view
of the researcher that, since the operating environment, its set-up and
circumstance of the technical college are identical across the various
states in Nigeria, findings of this study can apply at this level
throughout Nigeria.
A Research proposal for an assessment of students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies in technical colleges :
Reviews: A Review on an assessment of students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies in technical colleges , assessment, students’, knowledge project topics, researchcub.info, project topic, list of project topics, research project topics, journals, books, Academic writer.
This study is strictly concerned with an assessment of students’ knowledge of autotronics servicing strategies (ASKASS) in Technical Colleges in Benue State.
It is however the view of the researcher that, since the operating environment, its set-up and circumstance of the technical college are identical across the various states in Nigeria, findings of this study can apply at this level throughout Nigeria... education project topics
AN ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF AUTOTRONICS SERVICING STRATEGIES IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES