Abstract: This study compared two groups of four technical college classes studying automobile
engine. One group of two schools is located in rural area and the other group, also from two
schools, is located in urban area. They learned automobile engine using computer simulation based
on a dynamic, three-dimensional model of automobile engine. The study adopted a pretest,
posttest, control group, quasi-experimental research design. There were three weeks (of 45 minutes
each) of treatment for the study. Cognitive achievement multiple choice test was used to obtain
data for cognitive achievement. Psychomotor rating scale was used to obtain psychomotor
performance of the students. The arithmetic mean score of cognitive achievement multiple choice
test and psychomotor rating scale constituted the retention score. The correlation coefficients of
stability were 0.82 and 0.94 for cognitive achievement and psychomotor performance respectively.
The area of the study is Enugu State of Nigeria. 526 NTC 1 (average of 16-17 years old) students
of Motor Vehicle Mechanics’ Work formed the population of the study; while 106 students were
sampled from 4 schools out of the 22 schools managed by Science Technical and Vocational
Schools Management Board (STVSMB), Enugu. Arithmetic mean was utilised to answer the
research question, while the hypothesis was tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)
tested at .05 level of significance. The study found that the effect of computer simulation teaching
technique on students’ retention in automobile engine is greater in rural students than in urban
students. It was also found that the difference was significant. Based on the findings, one of the
recommendations made is that since rural students performed better than the urban students, the
urban students should be guided properly in order to maximize their academic potentialities.
Publication Date: 2016-06-14