EFFECTS OF AUTOMATED TECHNICAL DRAWING COMPUTER ASSISTED DRAFTING TECHNIQUE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN TECHNICAL DRAWING

The study sought to determine the effects of Automated Technical Drawing Computer Assisted Drafting Technique AUTOTEDRACAD on students’ academic achievement and retention in technical drawing. A quasi experimental pretest and posttest design was adopted because random selection of subject into treatment and control groups was not possible without disruption of the school programme under the study. The population of the study was 2110 technical year two students in eleven technical colleges in Akwa Ibom State. The sample comprised 240 students drawn from four technical colleges. Simple
random sampling technique was employed to select the colleges with purposively sample method used to determine the experimental and the control group. The instruments used for data collection was Technical Drawing Achievement Test (TDAT) constructed by the researcher and validated by the five experts, one from the department of Technical Education, University of Uyo, one from Science Education, University of Nigeria, and three from the department of Vocational Teacher Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Automated Technical Drawing Computer Assisted Drafting (AUTOTEDRACAD) lesson plan
produced into software and conventional lesson plan were the instruments for treatment of the experimental and control groups. The research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study among other things found out that there is a significant difference in academic achievement and retention of students taught with AUTOTEDRACAD technique than those taught with demonstration method. It was recommended that technical teachers should make use of AUTOTEDRACAD technique as it highlights a shift from teacher centered to an inclusive and integrated practice. It further revealed that it Improves understanding, develops creativity and promotes problem solving skills needed in construction and engineering industries.