NWACHUKWU JOHN NJOKU & NWEKE SUNDAY IDAKARI
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
EBONYI STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IKWO.
Abstract.
This paper focused on the effect of cooperative learning strategy on students achievement in mathematics in senior secondary schools in Abakaliki Education Zone of Ebonyi State. Two research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. The population of the study comprised all SS11 students in all public secondary school within the study area. The sample of the study comprised 300 students who participated in the study. Mathematics Achievement Test of the multiple choice type which contained 30 items with a reliability coefficient of 0.74 was used for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and ANCOVA statistics to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The analysis of the data revealed that cooperative learning instructional strategy enhanced the students’ academic achievement in mathematics better than the conventional (talk and chalk) method. Cooperative learning instructional strategy also enhanced the achievement of male students more than their female counterparts. There was a statistically significant between the mean achievement scores of students taught mathematics with cooperative learning strategy and those taught using the conventional (talk and chalk) method. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended, among others that in-service training and workshops/seminars should be organized for teachers to train them on the use of cooperative learning strategy in classroom instruction because of its proven efficacy in enhancing students’ academic achievement in mathematics.
Key words: Cooperative Learning, Instructional Strategy, Achievement, Mathematics Achievement.
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