Impact of the Stimulating Potential and Remediating Knowledge & Skills (SPARKS) Intervention Program on the Technical Competency of Grade 9 Learners in Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM)

This mixed-methods explanatory study investigated the impact of the SPARKS intervention program in enhancing the technical proficiency of the Grade 9 Electrical Installation and Maintenance students of Citrus National High School. The intervention that aims to bridge competency gaps through experiential learning approaches was created due to students' performance in the Quarterly Examination in the second grading period. For the research, 50 students were assigned to control and experimental groups through a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and survey procedures. The effect of the intervention was measured through effect size calculations, and the differences in performance between groups were evaluated using a t-test. Thematic analysis of interviews from teachers also gave qualitative findings on the advantages and limitations of the program. The utilization of qualitative data led to richer insights into the statistical results, identifying the major strengths and weaknesses of the intervention. The findings indicated that technical competence in the experimental group was statistically significantly improved, showing the effectiveness of the SPARKS intervention. Qualitative findings stated key areas of improvement that covered deficiencies in existing remediation programs, including field observation, tailored hands-on activities, subject-matter expert mentoring, and the inclusion of summer courses. The study provides practical suggestions for enhancing technical-vocational education and concludes that experiential learning is important in enhancing EIM technical competence.