Design, Construction, and Acceptability Evaluation of an Improvised Spark Plug Tester for Automotive Technology Instruction

Technical-vocational institutions in the Philippines often lack adequate instructional tools and equipment, which limits hands-on training in automotive technology. This study designed, constructed, and evaluated an Improvised Spark Plug Tester (ISPT) for gasoline engines to help address this gap at the TESDA Aparri Polytechnic Institute in Aparri, Cagayan. The device was built from locally available materials and is manually operated. The study used the Project Development Method and a descriptive-evaluative design. Forty-five respondents (10 automotive instructors and technicians, 15 shop owners, and 20 BS Industrial Technology students) rated the device through a questionnaire checklist covering design and durability, usefulness and functionality, portability, and safety and maintenance. Weighted means interpreted on a five-point Likert scale described the level of acceptability, and a z-test at the 5% level of significance compared the ratings of the instructors, technicians, and shop owners (ITMSO group, n = 25) with those of the students (n = 20). Both groups rated the ISPT Strongly Agree on all four criteria, with grand weighted means of 4.80 (ITMSO) and 4.82 (students). The computed z values (0.00 to 1.73) were all below the critical value of 1.96, indicating no significant difference between the two groups. The ISPT is therefore considered highly acceptable as a well-designed, durable, functional, portable, safe, and easy-to-maintain instructional device made from affordable local materials. It is recommended for use in automotive technology shops, together with further assessment of its durability, efficiency, and other possible uses, and with institutional support for its continued development and validation.