American Journal of Educational Research, 2013, Vol. 1, No. 2, 41-48 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/1/2/2 © Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/education-1-2-2 A Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS) Based Learning Package for Electrical and Electronics Technology-Issues on Acceptability and Usability in Nigeria Ayotola AREMU 1,* , Bamidele Michael EFUWAPE 1 Department of Teacher Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 2 Vocational and Technical Education Department, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria *Corresponding author: ayotk2001@yahoo.com Received January 21, 2013; Revised February 13, 2013; Accepted March 19, 2013 Abstract This study reported the use of a Free Open Source Software (FOSS), the Microsoft Learning Content Development System (Ms LCDS) to design and develop a learning package in electrical and electronic technology for teaching thermionic emission and investigated the acceptability and usability of the learning package. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. 80 students of electrical and electronics engineering and technology were randomly selected from two higher institutions in the country. A structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.89 was used for data collection. Six research questions were raised and data collected was analysed using mean, standard deviation and Multiple Regression at 0.05 level of significance. The research findings revealed high acceptability and usability levels of the learning package (Mean=5.14 and Mean=3.35 respectively). A significant joint effect of self-efficacy, attitude and subjective satisfaction was revealed on acceptability (F (3, 76) =9.458; p<0.05) while a significant joint effect of perceived enjoyment, self-efficacy, attitude and subjective satisfaction was revealed on usability (F (4, 75) =9.418; p<0.05). Based on the findings, it is recommended amongst other things that computer assisted materials or packages be developed for topics that may need some extra support to teach. Keywords: traditional teaching approach, electrical and electronics technology, technology-based learning package, FOSS, LCDS, acceptability, usability 1. Introduction 1.1. Preamble As a result of the rapid development of the information and communication technology (ICT), the use of computers in education has become inevitable. The use of technology in education provides the students with a more suitable environment to learn, serves to create interest and a learning centered-atmosphere, and helps increase the students’ motivation. The use of technology in this way plays an important role in the teaching and learning process [17]. Advances in computer technology have caught the attention of many educators and researchers. Computer-based multimedia applications, because of their flexible and varied presentation capabilities, are considered an effective alternative to traditional training methods. Many problems have been identified with traditional teaching approaches, which was based on behaviorism. In traditional teaching, the teacher is the authority and the students are passive learners [7]. Traditional approach to education is characterized by a talking teacher standing in front of the students; the pupils are with exercise books and other writing materials, the use of chalk and blackboard for writing, among others. Electrical and electronics technology, as a science and technology course and also a branch of Physics, had witnessed series of setbacks and difficulties in achieving its aim. This is because many of its concepts are abstract in nature. This makes the course difficult to comprehend for students and difficult for teachers to teach in Nigerian schools. There are several reasons for the difficulties encountered in the teaching and learning of these scientific concepts in Nigerian schools. Such reasons include; lack of resource based materials, incompetent science teachers, inappropriate teaching tools, wrong methodology, among others. Many times, the concepts cannot be easily linked with the daily activities. In a study by [1], it was stated that the reason for not reaching the aims in the lessons involving abstract concepts like law of Snell in Physics was because of the application of traditional approaches. The studies on traditional method of instructions such as [2,22] among others has revealed the inability of the method to bridge the gap between abstract and reality of a course as experienced in teaching of some topics in electrical and electronics technology in the tertiary institutions.