DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND PRACTICAL SKILL ACQUISITION AMONG TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) LEARNERS IN RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED ENVIRONMENTS IN NIGERIA: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY

Abstract

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has become increasingly important for workforce development, employability, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic growth in the digital age. This study therefore investigated digital instructional strategies and practical skill acquisition among TVET learners in resource-constrained environments in Nigeria using a mixed-methods approach. The study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design involving quantitative survey and correlational approaches complemented with qualitative interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. A total of 320 participants, comprising TVET learners and instructors, were selected from a target population of 2,635 participants, including 2,450 learners and 185 instructors across selected vocational institutions in three states in North-Central Nigeria, through multistage sampling procedures from selected vocational institutions across three states in North-Central Nigeria. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that instructional videos, mobile learning applications, WhatsApp instructional groups, blended learning approaches, and digital collaborative tools were the most commonly utilised digital instructional strategies. The study further revealed a significant positive relationship between digital instructional strategies and practical skill acquisition (r = 0.682, p < 0.05, 95% CI [0.617, 0.739]). Teacher digital competence also significantly predicted instructional technology utilisation (β = 0.593, p < 0.05). However, poor electricity supply, inadequate internet connectivity, insufficient digital devices, and limited institutional support remained major barriers affecting effective implementation. The study contributes to the growing scholarly discourse on digital transformation in developing-world TVET by offering mixed-methods empirical evidence from Nigeria's resource-constrained vocational education environments. The study recommends increased governmental investment in digital infrastructure, continuous teacher digital capacity development, and institutional support mechanisms to enhance technology-enhanced vocational learning within resource-constrained TVET environments.