Proposed Culturally Responsive Skill Learning Device for Vocational Education Learners in India: A Mixed Methods Design and Feasibility Study Protocol

Abstract

India’s vocational education and training settings serve learners with varied languages, prior work experiences, and access to digital resources. This proposed protocol describes the planned development and feasibility evaluation of a culturally responsive skill learning device. The device is conceived as a portable, offline-first aid for practical competency modules; it has not yet been built or tested. The protocol does not report study findings. The study will proceed through needs analysis, co-design and prototype development, expert review, usability testing and revision, and a two-group feasibility evaluation. The anticipated sample is approximately 60–80 second-semester B.Voc learners at Central University of Haryana in Biomedical Science, Industrial Waste Management, and Retail and Logistics Management. Hindi and English will be supported. Programme-specific simulated tasks, class availability and allocation will be documented before recruitment. Competency outcomes will be exploratory within programmes and will not be pooled across different tasks. The feasibility study will assess recruitment, retention, delivery, fidelity, acceptability, and data completeness against predefined progression criteria. Practical competency, short-term retention, engagement, skill self-efficacy, and perceived cultural relevance will be examined as exploratory outcomes. Quantitative estimates will be interpreted alongside interviews, observations, learner work, and device usage records. The study will inform refinement of the device and the design of a future evaluation; it is not intended to establish effectiveness or generalisability. Relevant SPIRIT 2025 items and TIDieR will guide reporting, with the CONSORT extension for randomised pilot trials applied if class randomisation is selected.