EFFECT OF SIMULATIONS USING MATLAB ON THE ACHIEVEMENT AND GENDER OF ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effects effect of simulations using MATLAB on the

achievement  and  gender  of  electronic  technology education students  in  tertiary  institutions  in Nigeria. Two Research questions and two hypotheses tested at .05 level of significance guided the study. A pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent control group, quasi-experimental research design was adopted. A total of 254 students were involved in the study. The instruments used for data collection were Electronic Technology Education Achievement Test (ETEAT) and Electronic Interest Inventory. Other instruments used were the MATLAB and conventional lesson plans. The items of the EAT were drawn based on table of specifications built in order to ensure the content validity of the test.  The instruments were also subjected to face validation by three experts in Department of Industrial and technology Education, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State and Department of Vocational Teacher Education, University of Nigeria Nsukka. The ETEAT was trial- tested to determine its psychometric indices and reliability coefficient. Test re-test reliability technique was used for the ETEAT. The reliability coefficient of the ETEAT obtained was 0.78 using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient formula. Mean was used to answer the research questions; while ANCOVA was employed to test the hypotheses. The study revealed that MATLAB is  more  effective  than the  traditional teaching  method on students’ achievement  in Electronic Technology. It was found out that there is an effect of gender on the achievement of students taught Electronic Technology in favour of male students. There was a significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught Electronic Technology using MATLAB and those taught with traditional method.   Consequently, the researcher recommended that workshops, seminars and conferences should be organized by Ministry of Education and administrators of  Universities  to  enlighten  electronic  Technology Lecturers  and  improve  their knowledge and skills on the use of MATLAB for improving students’ achievement in Electronic Technology Education

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Rapid  development  of  modern  society  cannot  be  separated  from  the  development  of electronic technology. The world has entered into an age where modern industry finds application of electronic technology indispensable. Businesses rely on it for creating, manufacturing and maintaining industrial machinery and processes. Companies reduce cost and increase productivity by using electronic technology experts to implement automation programming and analysis of manufacturing process. Growth and development in the field of electronic industries have created a strong demand for employees who are well trained. This job area requires graduates with good problem solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and computer skills, among others. Electronic Technology workers are  prepared  in  various  levels  of the  education system,  both  formal and informal, including the college of education, polytechnic, and universities. Electronic technology education programme prepares students for occupations as Technologist, Technicians and Electronic Technology teachers.

In the  university system,  electronic  technology education exist  under  the  technical and vocational education programme and it is geared towards training teachers in those skills necessary for effective teaching of technical personnel. The  courses offered in the electronic  technology education programme cover diodes, bi polar junction transistors (BJT)/Field effect transistors (FET), and common circuit configurations including clippers, clamps, amplifiers, active filters, regulators, power amplifiers, differential amplifiers and operational amplifiers and electric circuit theory among others.

Electrical circuit theory provides coverage for a wide range of courses that contain electrical principles from introductory to degree level. Bird (2003) stated that circuit theory contains basic electrical engineering/technology principles which any student wishing to progress in electrical engineering or electrical technology education would need to know. The content of circuit theory for electronic technology education at university level includes Complex numbers and their application

to series and parallel networks, power in alternating current (a.c.) circuits, a.c. bridges, series and

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parallel resonance and Q-factor, network analysis  involving  Kirchhoff’s laws,  mesh and  nodal analysis, the superposition theorem, Th´evenin’s and Norton’s theorems, delta-star and star-delta transforms, maximum power transfer theorems and impedance matching.

Electrical circuit theory is an essential subject that is relevant in all electrical science and technology courses. It is a major course offered in post-secondary institutions in Nigeria as well as other parts of the world. Dalabu and Audu (2006) observed that Nigeria has been making series of desperate efforts to keep pace with other developed nations of the world through her emphasis on science, technology and mathematics education among others. Okoro (2005) noted that the quality of any vocational education program is determined by the extent to which students are able to acquire the skills knowledge and values that are required in the work place. The realization of the objectives of Electronic Technology education programme in tertiary institutions -which include producing qualified teachers that  can impact required skills and knowledge for improved performance in electronic technology courses at secondary schools and technical colleges- depend on a number of factors. These include the availability of equipment, tools and materials, an adequate supply of qualified technical education teachers, and  the  method of teaching employed  in the  electronic technology programme. At present, electronic technology students are taught with the traditional teaching method- which is mostly the lecture and demonstration method.

Traditional classroom teaching and instruction has its strengths and limitations. A lot of times, in electronics technology education, the subject presented are abstract. In traditional method of teaching, students are left to their imaginations. Henning (1998) observed that in traditional classroom teaching, for the most part, the content presented in the classroom is disconnected from its real-world context. Knowledge conveyed in the classroom tends to be situated in the context of the classroom and the school rather than the context in which the knowledge was created. The author noted that this contextual dichotomy has been shown to negatively impact the learning process, adversely effecting learner motivation in particular.  Duffy and Cunningham (1996) also observed the  extremely limited  inclusion of real-world  learning experiences in the  traditional classroom setting and that real-world learning situated in real-world contexts has been shown to have positive impacts on learning and learner motivation.

Traditional methods of teaching have been in use in Nigeria and other parts of the world for decades. However, the consequence of the use of traditional methods in teaching vocational subjects such as electronic technology education in Universities is that students are unable to retain their learning  and  apply  it  in  new  situations  (Rojewski,  2002;  Doolittle  &  Camp,  2000;  Roegge, Wentling& Bragg, 2006). Ogbuanya and Usoro (2009) also stated that electronic technology graduates do not have the full knowledge of what they claim to have studied most of them find it difficult to put into practice what they have learnt. Ogbuanya and Usoro noted that at graduation most of the students are deficient of employability skills and work place skills. In another study, Osuala (2004), observed that technical education always have a problem of supply and demand of qualified teachers which is a prime factor in the quality of instruction. Osuala further stressed the fact that teacher quality factor is reflected in the productivity and occupational adjustment of those who have completed a training programme in the technical colleges. In another study, Goshwe (2006) noted that dearth of instructional materials, machines and equipment, limitations of the existing methods of instruction have also been identified as been part of the factors responsible for poor performance in technical colleges. This situation is an indication that the national objective of the self-reliance has not been achieved. It is therefore needful to introduce among other things tools that will enhance learning and make subject matter more relevant to the emerging industry.

Improving learning ordinarily involves change in method and means of instrument delivery. To enhance learning, İşman, Baytekin, Balkan, Horzum, &Kıyıcı (2002) suggested that the use of technology in education will provide students with a more suitable environment to learn, serves to create interest and a learning centered-atmosphere, and helps increase the students’ motivation. Moreover, Mustafa (2011) opined that the use of computers may provide significant contributions in physics and related courses, including electronics.

Using technological equipment in order to aid learning has started becoming a common method in the educational sectors around the world, including Nigeria. It is worthy of note that technology is a field that is very dynamic. It is therefore essential to have personnel that adapt to the dynamic work condition. Ahmet and Ahmet (2008) revealed that one of the main aims of the technology education is to bring up people who can keep up with the science age which changes and grows up at any moment and can benefit from the latest technological inventions in every fields and to teach the

necessity of the science in all technological inventions and developments. Gonen, Harskamp and Suhre (2006) in their study established that the use of computers in education is due to its positive effect to increase the attention and curiosity of students, and the helps it provides in the conceptual learning, is spreading widely. In addition, most of the knowledge related to natural phenomenon is now available in the computer environment. When teachers use computers as a teaching tool, it gives them the ability to show the physical phenomenon in a way that students can visualize in a three dimensional form. Also since industries make use of computerize equipment for quality control and efficiency among others, the use of computers in teaching will be an added advantage for acquiring employable skills. It is therefore inevitable to use new technologies such as; the internet, video or teleconferencing, mobile phones, IPADs, IPODs, Interactive TV, satellite broadcast, Audio and Video, Slides, CDs, computers to solve problems in education.

The development of technology from day to day is providing better alternatives to the ways and means by which teaching and learning was previously carried out. Traditionally, in electronic technology, forming large models of systems have been via a mathematical model derived from related circuit theory, which attempts to find analytical solutions to problems and thereby enable the prediction of the behavior of the system from a set  of parameters and  initial conditions. It  is important to note that with new technologies such as the use of computer aided designs and software packages, learning nowadays can be facilitated through different methods other than the traditional teaching and learning method. Software-supported educational products are some of the innovative technologies designed to be used in the computer-based and computer supported teaching practices. Such technologies can be used as complementary materials for doing calculations, and preparing simple models and simulations. It can also be used as a teaching material in the teaching of a part of a subject or the whole subject. Teaching software is capable of reducing the problems encountered in education (Ahmet and Ahmet, 2008).

The potential for success of technology-based instruction usage for learning is primarily due to its ability to integrate various types of media (such as sound, video, graphics, text, among others) and  delivered  in  various  forms  (such  as  collaboration,  interactive,  simulation,  among  others). Majority of computer based teaching tool possess the ability to show the physical phenomenon in a way that students can visualize in a three dimensional form. With advances in technology, software-

supported educational products designed to be used in the computer-based and computer supported teaching practices can use algorithms from purely mathematical models, combine simulations with reality or actual events, such as generating input responses, to simulate test subjects that are no longer present. Whereas the missing test subjects are being modeled simulated, the system they use could be the actual equipment, revealing performance limits or defects in long-term use by these simulated users.

A simulation is a situation in which a particular set of condition is created artificially in order to study or experience something that could exist. In electrical technology, circuit simulation is a technique that can be used to predict the behavior of a real circuit using a computer program. According to Rozenblart (2003), it is a computer program predicting the behaviour of a real circuit. It replaces real components with idealized electrical models which allows measurements of internal currents, voltages and power that in many cases are virtually impossible to do any other way. Educational simulations are based on an internal model of a real-world system or phenomena in which some elements have been simplified or omitted in order to facilitate learning. With such, students will have the chance to manipulate parameters and components as the case may be, while observing the consequent output. Hart (1993) pointed out that simulation may be used in place of laboratory experiment, especially during the student’s initial study of electronic circuits, or it can be used as a design tool in preparation for laboratory work. The author stressed further that, observing voltage and current from simulation accomplishes some of the same objectives as those of laboratory experience. Winn & Snyder, (1996); Duffy & Cunningham (1996) opined that the purpose of using simulation in education is to motivate the learner to engage in problem solving, hypothesis testing, experiential learning, schema construction, and development of mental models.

Electronics simulation software like MATrixLABoratory (MATLAB) engages the user by integrating them into the learning experience. This kind of interactions actively engages learners to analyze, synthesize, organize, and evaluate content and result in learners constructing their own knowledge. Marcov(2009) also observed that the use of circuit simulation software provides change in teacher’s role from that of dispenser of information and adviser to that of facilitator and modeller. This provides technology-rich environment to motivate interest and enhance achievement of electronic learners. Xenophontos (1999) noted that MATLAB a high level computer language and

interactive   environment   for   numerical   computation,   technical  data   analysis,   programming, simulation and  visualization, can  be  a  valuable  tool for  teaching courses in  technology. With MATLAB, data can be analyzed, algorithms developed, and models and applications created. It has language,  tools  and  built  in  mathematical  functions  which  enable  the  exploration of  multiple approaches to reach solutions faster than with spreadsheets or traditional programming languages. According to Houcque (2005), the software can be used for a range of applications, including signal processing and communications, image and video processing, control systems, test and measurement computations among others. Using this package instead of the traditional electronic experiments can save  time,  save  money and  material,  and  enhance  students’  information,  literacy  and  creative thinking skills.

SIMULINK is software imbedded in MATLAB- in particular, provides a block diagram tool for modeling and simulating dynamical systems, including signal processing, controls, communications, and other complex systems. The products of SIMULINK are used in a broad range of  industries,  including  automotive,  space  technology,  electronics,  environmental, telecommunication, computer peripherals, finance and medical. SIMULINK also has a large collection of tool boxes for variety of applications. A tool box consists of functions that can be used to perform some computations in the toolbox domain. It can therefore be an invaluable tool for improving students’ achievement in electronic technology courses. Instrument of lesson delivery is of great importance in achievement as observed by Lowmen (2006) who stated that the methods and tools employed by a teacher to teach the lesson could influence students’ learning interest as well as academic achievement.

Academic  achievement  denotes knowledge and  skills  attained  by students  in school or institution subjects or course designed by a score obtained in an achievement test. According to Olaitan, Ali, Eyo and Sowande (2000), academic achievement is always denoted by a score which represent the amount of learning acquired, knowledge gained or skills and competencies in the subjects. Achievement according to Anene (2005) also refers to a measure of the student’s academic standing in relation to those of other students of his age. In other words, academic achievement usually denoted with scores is the learning outcomes of students which include knowledge and skills in a course of study such as electronic technology.

Students’ achievement can be influenced by their gender. There are gender differences in learning  in  Science,  Math,  Engineering  and  Technology.  Hanke  (1991)  in  a  gender  study of computer science   majors at Carnegie-Mellon University found that, overall, male students come equipped with much better computer skills than female students. This places male students with a considerable advantage in the  classroom and  could  impact  the  confidence of female  students. Osafehinti (1998) in a study aimed at finding out possible sex related differences in performance and attitude towards mathematics revealed that girls had lower achievement in mathematics and show greater hatred for the subject than their male counterparts. The boys showed greater interest and performed better in mathematics. Dambe (2000) showed that there was a significant difference in the number of male and female enrolled into mathematics and technical courses.Similarly, Uwameiye and Osunde (2005) reported that there is gender bias in college of Education (Technical) enrolment pattern in favour of the traditionally male dominated areas as computer studies, accountancy, and engineering programmes while courses such as secretarial studies and Home Economics are tagged feminine. Another study conducted by Kerlinger (1979) showed a pattern of achievement result in technical courses which indicated that girls were more successful than boys in Belgium, Thailand, Finland and Hungary but least so in France, Nigeria, Israel and Netherlands. Ogwo (1996) conducted a study on the effects of meta-learning instructional strategies on students’ achievement in metal work technology and reported that male students had slightly higher mean scores than the females, which was not considered significant. The inconclusive nature of research findings on gender and achievement  in technology makes  it  imperative  to  find  out  in the  study of the  new software MATLAB and SIMULINK will bridge the gap.

It is hoped that the use of MATLAB may help ease some of the difficulties students of electronics  face  due  to  the  abstract  nature  of  the  subject  and,  complex  mathematical  models involved. The package can be used in creating a virtual lab or workshop to help students appreciate practical operations of phenomena they otherwise would have imagined. Various studies (Ahmet & Ahmet, 2008; Traynor, 2003; Aksin, 2006) have associated improved learning performance with the use of computer assisted systems and the claim that the quality of learning can be significantly enhanced when ICT is integrated with teaching motivated the need to embark on this study

Statement of the Problem

Development of modern society is highly linked to developmentsin electronic technology. Market economies have promoted the development of knowledge-based industries and enhance professional competition. The community is  becoming increasingly demanding of professionals requiring them to not only have a solid theoretical foundation but also have a strong ability in practice.

Technical education through which electronics is taught at tertiary level supposed to equip recipients with practical and applied skills as well as basic scientific knowledge. Practical realisation of the theory is the highest requirement for qualified personnel. Meanwhile teacher education supposed to encourage the spirit of enquiry and creativity, provide teachers with intellectual and professional background adequate for their assignment. They shall be regularly exposed to innovations in their profession and made adaptable to changing situations. University graduates of technical education are supposed to train technical college students to acquire skills to secure employment or be self- employed and employers of labour after graduation. Unfortunately, over the years, technical education institutions have been producing youths in their thousands that are not adequately empowered to contribute meaningfully to national development as such are not employable. The present situation of unemployment and poor work performance among technical and vocational education graduates in the country is an indication that the national objective of self-reliance has not yet been achieved. Various factors have been identified as being responsible for the low skill and poor performance of electronic graduates in particular. Inadequate supply of qualified teachers, dearth of facility and instructional materials, limitations of the existing methods of instruction among others have been identified as being part of the factors responsible for poor performance. The conventional methods of instruction like  the  lecture  method,  discussion method are  no  longer sufficient due to the rapid technological changes that demand shift in means of instrument delivery. Hence, the need to try other novel methods that can probably enhance students achievement in electronic technology education.

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of simulation using MATLAB on the achievement of electronic technology education students in Nigerian Universities. Specifically, the study sought to:

1.  Compare  the  mean  achievement  scores  of  students  taught  electronic  technology  using

MATLAB and those taught with conventional methods.

2.  Determine the  influence  of gender  on  achievement  of students  when taught  Electronic

Technology using MATLAB and conventional methods

Significance of the Study

It is hoped that this study will have both theoretical and practical significance. It is expected that the study will give credence to the multiple intelligences theory. This theory differentiates intelligence into specific modalities rather than seeing intelligence as dominated by a single general ability. It states that by introducing a broader range of learning methods known as intelligences, educators and parents can endeavour to find out individual child’s strength and weaknesses by determining their preferred learning styles. This will give them opportunity to learn in ways that will be more productive to their unique minds. The use of MATLAB involves watching, doing, logical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem solving activities. It integrates of the use of body and mind. More than one area of intelligence is involved in this learning using MATLAB. Therefore, it is hoped that the use of MATLAB as an instructional package for teaching might improve students’ logical reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

It is expected that the findings of this study would be of immense benefit to management of Universities/National University Commission, technical teachers, industries, researchers, and the society at  large. The findings of this study might help the policy makers in making necessary reviews and further contribution in the policy formulation process. If teaching with MATLAB is found effective, it can be included in the education policy as part of the packages for teaching electronic technology in technology education programme in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Officials in the ministry of education and institutions can also organize conferences, workshops and seminars for teachers on the technique of teaching electronic technology with MATLAB. It will also save cost

in terms of the materials and equipment that will be needed for practical. The software can be configured for various experiments and problem solving exercises.

The study will also be of great relevance to researchers in the world of academics in the sense that the findings generated from this study will contribute immensely to existing body of knowledge and also assist subsequent studies. It is expected that this study will be one of the references for other researchers to get information about teaching through MATLAB.

The students who are the recipients of the training will also benefit from this study. It is possible the study will reveal greater achievement and if so, the implementation of the finding will lead to better learning acquisition of the much desired skills and thus enhancing their employability. With this package, students can study a material over and over at their own pace and in line with their individual differences thereby reinforcing learning. It will also provide opportunity for flexible means of practical with less cost and risk implications. This gives them more opportunity to practice which may result to enhanced understanding of concepts and phenomena in their field of study. It will motivate students and get them to take an active part in the learning process. Invariably this will lead  to  adequate  skill  development  that  will  enable  the  students  face  modern  technological challenges, be self-reliant and earn successful livelihood.

If found to be effective, teachers can be retrained on the use of the package. This will enhance their teaching. It will be of benefit in teaching some phenomena that will otherwise be too abstract to easily grasp. It is also an additional package for instruction for them. They will also be motivated to be more innovative because it can be used for presenting information, testing and evaluation and providing feedback. It makes a contribution to the individualization of education where the teaching will be student centered.

Other stakeholders like Industries, the parents, the government, curriculum planners and the society at large will also benefit from this study if found to be effective. This is because well- equipped electronic technology education graduates will be better positioned to put into practice what they learn; thereby harnessing the abundant human and material resources the country is blessed with. This will be achieved through actively contributing to organizations’ success and technological advancement of the nation. Industries will have better candidates for employment.

Better equipped graduates will be  more gainfully employed. This will enhance their economy, consequently that of their parents, the society and the nation at large

Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in the study:

1.  What is the difference between the mean posttest scores of students taught electronic technology using MATLAB and those taught with conventional methods?

2.  What is the influence of gender on achievement of students when taught Electronic Technology using MATLAB and conventional methods?

Hypotheses

The  following hypotheses are  formulated to  guide the  study and  were tested at  0.05  level of significance:

H01:    There is no significant difference in the achievement scores of students taught electronic technology using MATLAB and those taught using the traditional method.

H02:       There  is  no  significant  difference  in  the  achievement  of  male  and  female  students  in electronic technology.

Delimitation of the Study This study is limited to circuit theory at two hundred level electronic technology education students in tertiary institutions located in Niger and Kaduna States. This includes Federal University of Technology, Minna and Kaduna Polytechnic (an affiliate of Federal University of Technology Minna) which is also a degree awarding institution running the electronic technology education programme. Circuit simulation software includes MATLAB and SIMULINK, Micro-CAP, KTech Lab, and SPICE. But the focus of this study will only be on the use of MATLAB for analysis and problem solving in electrical/electronic circuits. The topics covered include Introduction to Circuit Theory: Ohm’s law and Resistors in series and parallel connection, Network terminologies, Kirchoff’s Law, Superposition Theorem, Thevnin’s Theorem and Norton Theorem. Circuit theory is a core course that has wide application in electrical and electronic technologies and engineering

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