Effects of Multimedia and Lecture Methods of Instruction on Interest, Academic Achievement and Retention of Agricultural Education Students in Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effects of multimedia and lecture methods of instruction on interest, academic achievement and 
retention among Agricultural education students in Colleges of Education in North Central, Nigeria. Three objectives were set and six null hypotheses formulated. Quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. Population for this study was 1,328 subjects comprising all NCE II students of the fifteen Colleges of Education in North Central, Nigeria. Sample for the study was 200 subjects. The instruments for the study were Interest Inventory Survey Scale; and Academic Achievement and Retention Test. The experimental group was exposed to multimedia methods (projector). The control group was taught using conventional method. The data collected was analysed using Mean, Standard deviation, Chi-square and t-test. Findings from the study revealed that the students indicated high interest in the use multimedia method of teaching-learning Agricultural Education (X2-cal =68.67 > X2-tab =68.67). Finding also revealed that the experimental group had a higher mean achievement scores than the control group (t-cal=14.95 > t-tab = 1.96). 
The study found that experimental group retained what they had learnt more than the control group (t-cal = 36.31 > t-tab = 1.96). This study concludes that projector presentations with videos for Agricultural education courses with practical skills eliminates all the redundant materials, thereby proving a cohesive learning material and help students better than lecture method of teaching. It was recommended that every teaching and learning of practical skills should be supplemented with multimedia such as video to stimulate the interest of students.