Effect of Computer Simulation Game Package on Students’ Academic Performance in welding and fabrication trade in Government Science and Technical Colleges in North Eastern Nigeria

The study determined the effect of computer simulation game packages on students’ academic performance in welding and fabrication in government science technical colleges in North-East, Nigeria. The students in experimental group were taught using computer simulation game package, while their counterparts in control group were taught using demonstration method of teaching. The study was guided by three research questions. Quasi-experimental design of pretest and post-test were used for the study. The population of the study comprised of six teachers and 153 NTC II students of welding and fabrication trade in the 29 state owned technical colleges in North-East, Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to select experimental and control groups. Two intact classes were used as the sample of the study, with sample size of 55 students in each class. The instrument for data collection consisted of 60 multiple choice objective items that were extracted from past NABTEB examination questions. The instrument was validated by three specialists in the Department of Technology Education, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, and the other two specialists are teachers of welding and fabrication trade in Government Science and Technical College, Numan, Adamawa State. The instrument was not subjected to any reliability test because the test questions were selected from standardized instrument. The findings of the study, among others, revealed that students taught using computer simulation game package performed better and had higher learning experiences retention than those students taught using demonstration method of teaching. It also revealed that there is significant difference between male and female teachers in the use of computer simulation instructional package in teaching and learning of welding and fabrication in favor of male teachers. However, based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that special training should be organized for male and especially the female teachers on  how to  use computer simulation game packages in teaching and learning of concepts that require students to imbibe operational principles and mastery of procedures in welding and Fabrication. And that Government should provide technical colleges with available computer simulation instructional packages.