Investigating Classroom-Level Barriers to Cooperative Learning Implementation in Saudi Middle Schools (Published)
The change process is not easy; effort is required to implement a change in any system. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education is working to bring a change to their education system by implementing cooperative learning. This approach is different from traditional learning, so there are different barriers faced by teachers, students, and administrators. This study focuses on analyzing the perceptions of teachers which may act as barriers while they implement cooperative learning in schools in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to investigate the level of preparedness of teachers while implementing cooperative learning; the professional perspective of teachers regarding cooperative learning; and the perception of teachers regarding the benefits and use of cooperative learning. The study used a quantitative research design and a survey was distributed among the teachers working at a public school in Saudi Arabia. Teachers’ preparedness, perception, and personal perspectives were tested and quantitative data revealed the barriers limiting the implementation of cooperative learning in schools. Findings can be utilized by policy makers and administrators to dictate necessary changes in the system which will help in the effective implementation of cooperative learning. The policymakers may need to work on the policy framework to equip teachers to mitigate these barriers.
Keywords: Barriers, Cooperative learning, Professional Development, Teachers
Investigating the Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning Method on Teaching of Business Studies in Upper Basic Education Level in Enugu State, Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated and compared the effect of cooperative learning method on teaching business studies. The researcher adopted quasi-experimental research design. Three research questions guided the study. The population of the study consists of 2552 students in JSS II from 31 secondary schools in Enugu Education zone. A sample of 168 was selected from 4 schools that served as control and experimental groups. The instruments for data collection were Business Studies Achievement Test (BSAT) containing 40 multiple choice questions. The instrument was validated by experts and Cronbach alpha was used to test the reliability of the instrument and it yielded 0.76 reliability coefficients. A per-test, post-test procedure was used to compare the control and experimental groups on per-test and post-test scores of achievement test. The results of the study did not reveal any significant difference on pre-test scores of both control and experimental groups. This indicated that the two groups were alike in their academic achievement in Business Studies before the experiment. The experimental groups outperformed the control group in the post-test after the experiment. The results based on post- test scores revealed that cooperative learning method had significant effect on student achievement in Business studies. Based on the finding, the researcher recommends cooperative learning methods for teaching business studies and other subjects.
Keywords: Achievement, Cooperative learning, business studies., conventional methods
Developing Linguistic Competence and Critical Thinking Skills Through Cooperative Learning: An Assessment (Published)
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of cooperative learning method in developing linguistic competence and critical thinking skills of students. All the subjects were taught lessons using the lecture discussion method and cooperative learning approach alternately. The pseudo-experimental method utilizing the repeated measures design was used in the study. T-test was used to compare the mean scores on the pretest/posttest of achievement tests. The study found out that there is a significant improvement in the linguistic competence and critical thinking skills of students taught with the use of lecture discussion method and cooperative learning. The mean gain scores on cooperative learning approach has significantly improved the linguistic competence and critical thinking skills of students. Findings show that both methods can develop linguistic competence and critical thinking skills of students, but cooperative learning has a higher mean gain score in linguistic competence as compared to the lecture–discussion method. Under linguistic competence, there is a significant difference in the mean gain scores in linguistic competence of subjects taught under cooperative learning but not in lecture-discussion method. Under critical thinking skills, there is no significant difference in the mean gain scores in critical thinking skills between the two groups.
Keywords: Cooperative learning, critical thinking skills, linguistic competence
EFFECTS OF GROUP SIZE ON STUDENTS MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN SMALL GROUP SETTINGS (Published)
This experimental study investigated the effects of group size on students’ mathematics achievement in small group settings. Two third year classes studying General Art were selected from two schools in the Central Region of Ghana for the study. The rational for the selection of these classes is that traditionally these have been classes whose students do not show interest in the study of mathematically based subjects and that they might not be very much different in mathematics performance. The two classes constituted the control and experimental groups respectively and consisted of 50 students in the control group and 47 in the experimental group. The experimental group was subdivided into 12 groups made up of groups of 3 members, groups of 4 members and groups of 5 members using stratified and simple random sampling. The students’ pre- and post-test scores served as the data for the study. The results showed that after approximately 12 weeks, students’ who were instructed using small group cooperative learning achieved a significantly higher scores on the achievement posttest then those taught by the conventional method of instruction. However, the study also revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the mean scores of the three subgroups of the experimental group. The study therefore support that, group size is less important in what the group actually does
Keywords: Achievement, Cooperative learning, Group size