Effect of Online Resources On Students’ Academic Achievement and Retention in Financial Accounting in Colleges of Education in Abia State, Nigeria

This study investigated the effects of online resources, specifically YouTube and WhatsApp, on students’ academic achievement and retention in Financial Accounting at Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu (ASCETA). The study adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and control group design. The population comprised all second-year students in the Department of Business Education (Accounting option), from which a sample of 90 students was drawn using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected and analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) tested the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that both YouTube instructional videos and WhatsApp-mediated discussions significantly enhanced students’ academic achievement compared to the conventional lecture method, with YouTube showing the strongest effect. YouTube also proved most effective for retention of Financial Accounting concepts, while WhatsApp facilitated collaborative learning and improved understanding. Gender was found to have no significant influence on achievement or retention, indicating that both male and female students benefited equally from these online resources. The study concluded that YouTube and WhatsApp have substantial potential to improve learning outcomes in Financial Accounting, with YouTube being most effective for both achievement and retention. Recommendations include integrating YouTube videos into instruction, using WhatsApp for collaborative discussion and revision, providing institutional support for digital learning, guiding students on responsible use of online resources, and conducting capacity-building workshops for lecturers.