EFFECTIVENESS OF MICRO-LEARNING APPROACHES IN SKILL ACQUISITION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION UNDERGRADUATES IN NIGERIA
Salihu Habiba , Hajara Baba Maiturare and Fatima Ahmed Maude, PhD
Volume 5 Issue 2
Abstract
The increasing need for employability skills among university graduates in Nigeria has placed renewed emphasis on practical and vocational education, particularly within business-related disciplines. However, traditional pedagogical approaches continue to dominate Nigerian tertiary institutions, often prioritizing theoretical instruction over practical engagement. This study investigates the effectiveness of micro-learning strategies in enhancing skill acquisition among undergraduate students of Business Education at the Federal University of Education, Zaria. Grounded in Cognitive Load Theory, the research adopts a quasi-experimental design involving 48 final-year students who were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. A researcher developed Skill Acquisition Test (SAT) was administered as both a pre-test and a post-test to measure students’ vocational competencies in business communication and office management. The findings revealed no significant difference in the pre-test scores between the two groups, indicating comparable baseline competencies. However, the post-test analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the performance of students exposed to micro-learning, with a higher mean score and p-value less than 0.05. These results affirm the effectiveness of micro-learning in improving vocational skills acquisition, particularly in resource-constrained educational environments. The study concludes that micro-learning serves as a flexible, scalable, and learner-centred instructional approach that supports repeated practice, content accessibility, and self-paced learning. Based on these findings, it is recommended that Nigerian universities, particularly those offering Business Education, formally integrate micro-learning strategies into their curricula. In addition, investments in mobile-friendly learning management systems and capacity-building for educators on digital content creation are essential to maximise the potential of micro-learning in vocational education. Keywords: Micro-learning, Skill Acquisition, Business Education, Vocational Training, Cognitive Load Theory
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