Author(s): Ekumankama and Ijeoma-OJI ONU

Abstract:
The study evaluated the effectiveness of a Fashion Illustration Curriculum among Home Economics students in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study taught fashion illustration to Home Economics Students for a period of three months; developed a fashion illustration curriculum test as well as determined the mean achievement scores of students taught with Fashion Illustration Curriculum as a measure of its' effectiveness for Clothing and Textiles programme of universities in Nigeria. The study adopted Research and Development (R and D) design. The population for the study was made up of twelve final year students of Home Economics under study were purposely selected. Data for the research was collected using the following instruments: Fashion Illustration curriculum (FIC) was developed by the researcher and a Fashion Illustration Curriculum Test for testing the effectiveness of the developed curriculum (pre test and post test were administered). Cronbach’s reliability index was used to determine the internal consistency of the instruments on the data obtained. Data obtained from the trail test was used for the computation of reliability coefficient which gave an overall coefficient = 0.984 for all the sections. A coefficient of 0.984 is therefore considered high enough and acceptable. This is an indication that the instrument was reliable and consistent in measuring what it was designed to measure. The developed Fashion Illustration Curriculum was found to be effective on Home Economics students at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that Curriculum planners (National Universities Commission) and administrators should utilize the objectives, contents, delivery systems and evaluation guidelines of fashion illustration developed in this study in their review of the current Home Economics programmes in universities in Nigeria such that their challenging curriculum will prepare students for realistic employment.