PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF CULTURO- TECHNO CONTEXTUAL APPROACH AND ACTIVE LEARNING ON PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES IN BUSINESS EDUCATION IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Business Education is essential for equipping students with entrepreneurial, employability, and global economic competencies. In Nigeria, it is primarily taught in Colleges of Education to prepare pre-service teachers for secondary and vocational levels. However, persistent reliance on traditional lecture methods has been linked to passive learning and poor outcomes among pre-service Business Education teachers in Southwest Nigeria. This study investigated the effects of the Culturo-Techno Contextual Approach (CTCA) and Active Learning (AL) on pre-service teachers’ achievement, engagement, and retention. CTCA integrates cultural relevance, technology, and real-life contexts to enhance meaningful learning, while AL promotes active student participation through problem-solving and collaborative tasks. A quasi-experimental design was employed with 107 pre-service teachers and eight lecturers. Participants were assigned to CTCA, AL, and control groups. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and achievement tests, and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that CTCA produced the highest mean gain in achievement (6.62), followed by AL (4.39), with the control group recording the lowest (3.53). Lecturers perceived both CTCA and AL as useful, user-friendly, and effective, though areas for improvement were identified. Gender analysis indicated slightly higher gains for males (5.28) compared to females (4.71), but teaching methodology was more influential than gender. The study concludes that innovative pedagogies, particularly CTCA, significantly improve learning outcomes compared to conventional methods. It recommends integrating culturally responsive and technology-enhanced strategies into Business Education curricula, providing instructor training on CTCA and AL, and implementing participatory teaching approaches to boost engagement and critical thinking. Future research should explore long-term impacts and contextual factors influencing gender differences. These findings underscore the need for curriculum reforms to align Business Education with 21st-century pedagogical demands.