Impact of Mobile Learning on Vocational Skills Acquisition Among Technical College Students in Kaduna State

This study examined the impact of mobile learning interventions on vocational skills acquisition among technical college students in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. Mobile learning, which leverages smartphones and tablets for instructional delivery, has been proposed as a cost-effective approach to expanding and enriching vocational education, particularly in contexts with limited physical infrastructure. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with 240 students in three technical colleges assigned to experimental groups using structured mobile learning applications and control groups following conventional instruction over 12 weeks. Post-intervention assessments using trade-specific practical skills rubrics and knowledge tests were conducted. Results showed that students in the mobile learning groups achieved significantly higher scores in both practical skills (mean = 74.2 vs. 63.5) and theoretical knowledge (mean = 78.4 vs. 68.1) compared to control groups. Students in electrical installation and garment making demonstrated the strongest gains from mobile learning. Factors moderating the effect included smartphone ownership rates, data connectivity, and teacher facilitation quality. The study recommends that Kaduna State pilot a state-funded mobile device lending programme for technical students, develop Hausa-language vocational learning applications, and train instructors in mobile-supported pedagogy. These findings contribute original experimental evidence on mobile learning in northern Nigerian vocational education contexts. Keywords: mobile learning, vocational skills, technical colleges, Kaduna State, experimental study.