EFFICACY OF AN ONLINE PEDAGOGY ON TVET PRACTICAL SKILLS TRAINING IN UGANDA

Abstract

To commit to the ‘everywhere’ acquisition of practical skills (at and away from the training institution), there is need to for evidence that supports the idea of acquiring practical skills through an online pedagogy. As such, this quasi-experimental study compared and analysed the outcomes of TVET practical skills training in the face-to-face and online pedagogies in order to determine the efficacy of an online pedagogy on TVET practical skills training. Specifically, the study determined the efficacy of an online pedagogy on training delivery, acquisition, assessment, and performance of TVET practical skills. The study also assessed trainee’s, instructors and assessor’s perception towards an online pedagogy as a method for TVET Practical skills training as well as the related challenges. The postpositivsm philosophy served as the study's compass and the quasi-experimental design enabled the researcher to identify a comparison group (face-to-face pedagogy) from which baseline data was captured and compared with outcomes of the treatment group (online pedagogy). The sample for this quasi-experimental study consisted of UBTEB Assessors (n = 8), Instructors (n = 20), and Trainees (n = 69). Observation checklists, questionnaires, practical test items and competency assessment tools were the instruments used for data collection of the study. Descriptive statistics were used to define and explain the characteristics of the data (mean, mode and frequency) whereas line and bar charts were the data analysis tools that were used to make sense of the collected data. Inferential statistics (Independent-Samples Mann-Whitney U Test, Independent-Samples T- Test and Paired Samples T Test) were then used to examine the significance of the identified difference(s) between the means. Qualitative analysis was used for the data from the open-ended posttest questionnaires to address the study research question. The central thesis of the study was that the processes of online practical skills training delivery, acquisition, assessment and performance of a practical skill were as effective as those in the face-to-face. The findings of the study also demonstrated that the perception of trainees, instructors and assessors about online training, acquisition, assessment and performance significantly changed after undergoing an online pedagogy. The results then showed that poor or no internet connectivity, electricity outages and the lack of ICT equipment ranked as the top challenges of online pedagogy that need to be addressed if practical skills are to be effectively delivered online. The study recommends development of an online training framework, investment in online pedagogy enablers, development of online practical skills content and integration of online training and assessment into the training routine.