Effect of Internship Experiential Learning on Students’ Academic Achievement in Utilization of Model Office Technologies in Federal Colleges of Education in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

This study determines the effect of internship experiential learning on students' academic achievement in utilization of model office technology in Federal Colleges of Education in south-south, Nigeria. Two specific purposes, two research questions and two hypotheses were posed to guide the study. Quasi-experimental research design with pretest, post-test, non-randomized groups was adopted. 86 N.C.E. Ill business education (OTME) students during the 2018/2019 academic session made up the population. The sample consisted of 45 and 41 N.C.E. III Business Education (OTME) students from Federal College of Education (Tech.), Asaba and 41 OTME students from Federal College of Education (Tech.), Omoku, Rivers State. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for study. A rating scale questionnaire was used for determining the students' academic achievement in model office technologies utilization. The instrument was validated by three lecturers from Faculty of Education, Nnarndi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State. The rating scale was subjected to reliability of stability using test-retest method to obtain r-value of 0.90. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics of mean scores to answer research questions one. Independent t-test was used to test null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. All data were computed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 0.16. The findings revealed those exposed to model office technologies using internship experiential learning scored higher than those in control group. The findings also revealed that both male and female benefited from internship experiential learning activities used for teaching model office technologies. In same vein, the results revealed significant difference in the academic scores of experimental as against that of control group. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Business education (OTME option) lecturers should try as much as possible to adopt, design and implement internship experiential learning when handling any course that has to do with model office technologies utilization in order to assist students to acquire the needed practical skills content.