EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education plays a pivotal role in maximizing individual’s potentials and is a prerequisite for meaningful and sustained national economy. Even though the educationists had made efforts in improving teaching-learning processes, instructional designers are still searching and experimenting to get best methods for optimal academic performance of the students. This is because, in the traditional approach of teaching, most of the class time is spent by teachers talking and students watching and listening, and cooperative learning appears to be discouraged (Molla, 2018).
According to Okwelle (2019), Biology as a subject is the science of life and deals with the study of living things. The knowledge of Biology prepares students to apply basic scientific concepts in dealing with numerous issues encountered on daily basis and comprehend the natural world. Several methods are available for teaching Biology in senior secondary schools. Effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ academic performance in biology in secondary schools.
The suitability of a given method depends on the concept in consideration and works together with other components of learning to enhance students understanding and performance in examinations. One of the methods widely used by teachers is cooperative learning.
Cooperative learning is a student-centered instructor-facilitated instructional strategy, in which small group of students are responsible for their own learning and learning of all group members. It is an instructional strategy where the teachers organize students into small groups which work together and help one another to learn academic content and reach a common goal.
In Cooperative learning, the teacher maintains and controls the learning environment, designs learning activities and social interactions, and structure work teams. In this strategy every student participates in the team and there is cooperation among team members as well as collective effort which facilitates understanding of subject matter. That is why Slavin (cited in Okwelle 2019) argues that a critical element of cooperative learning is group team work and team goals.
EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Cooperative learning can be formal or informal, but often involves specific instructor intervention to maximize students’ interaction and learning.
In formal cooperative learning, students work together for one or more class periods to complete a joint task or assignment, while in the informal cooperative learning small, temporary, ad-hoc groups of two to four students work together for brief periods in a class, typically up to one class period, to answer questions or respond to prompts posed by the instructor.
In cooperative instructional strategy there is a common goal, and the achievement of the group determines the success of individuals. If the group does not succeed, individuals cannot succeed.
Etobro (2019) opined that cooperative learning is a dynamic learner-centred approach that enhances students learning in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains.
Eziyi, Mumuni and Nwanekezi (2016) stated that in a cooperative instructional approach, learners of diversified ability levels explore the socio-cultural significance of human movement by working together in small structured groups with the sole aim of completing tasks. In such small groups, individual member of a group takes responsible not only what is been taught but at the same time assisting members of the group to learn what is taught in order to achieve the set goals.
In cooperative instructional approach, the success of the group is anchored on the performance of the entire group rather than on the performance of individual learners in the group. With cooperative instructional approach, the different tasks learners are exposed to; enhances learners understanding of each other’s abilities, interests and needs. Effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ academic performance in biology in secondary schools.
The various tasks encourage learners to take responsibility for their learning, thus imbibing the basic cooperative values and attitudes they require in relating with their fellow learners within and outside the classroom. It further promotes the communication of pre-social behaviour, encouraging high thought processes and fostering concept understanding and achievement (Ajaja, 2013).
In cooperative instructional approach, learners are actively engaged in the instructional process; imbibe appropriate models of social behaviour as well as improving their critical thinking, problem solving and reasoning skills.
Studies have shown that students learn best when they are active rather than passive learners (Nwagbo, 2018). Many authors have argued that everyone is capable of learning, but may learn in different ways.
Therefore lessons must be presented in a variety of ways. For example, new concept can be taught through play acting, visual aids, and hands on activities, technology and cooperative groups. However, the quality of education that teachers provide to student is depending upon what teachers do in their classrooms (Zakaria, 2017).
The teaching method used in the class is one of the factors that make students become passive and have less interaction with each other. Baird (2014) has criticized the traditional (Lecture) method used by teachers because only hardworking students can benefit from it.
Therefore, to enhance the understanding of biology, students must be more active in the classroom and must creatively acquire knowledge, especially in understanding and solving biological problems. Students should be given the opportunities to develop, to interact, and to share with friends through cooperative learning activity.
Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. It is an educational approach which aims to organize classroom activities into academic and social learning experiences.
Cooperative learning requires students to engage in group activities that increase learning and adds other positive outcomes which include academic gains, improved race relations and increased personal and social development. In addition, students who fully participate in group activities, exhibit collaborative behaviors, provide constructive feedback, and cooperate with their groups and there is every likelihood of their receiving higher test scores and course grades at the end of the instruction.
Cooperative learning is an active pedagogy that fosters higher academic achievement and it has also been found to increase attendance, time on task, enjoyment of school and classes, motivation, and independence. Troper (2015) explained that in cooperative learning, students are encouraged to be active participants in the construction of their own knowledge.
The authors added that cooperative learning also encourages students to interact and to communicate with peers in harmony. In this way, cooperative learning promotes values such as honesty, cooperation, mutual respect, responsibility, tolerance, and willingness to satisfy a consensus, and execution of duties in cooperative learning can develop self-confidence in students. There are several numbers of cooperative learning techniques available. Some of them utilize student pairing, while others utilize small groups of four or five students.
Based on this background, the researcher considered it needful to examine the effect of cooperative learning strategies on students’ academic performance in Biology in secondary schools in Ini L.G.A.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Despite the numerous applications of Biology in provision of basic need of man, poor performance of Biology students in Senior School Certificate Examinations has persisted over the years. Despite the provision of instructional materials and other learning facilities which constitute the school environment blended with appropriate teaching methods which facilitate teaching and learning process.
The use of inappropriate method in teaching Biology renders adequate facilities unproductive and make some concept difficult to understand; this constitutes a problem. Several attempts geared toward the discovery of appropriate method for optimum learning of Biology have been made.
Moreover, despite the relative importance of Biology in science as well as in medicine and social sciences, students’ performance in the subject in both internal and external examinations has remained consistently poor. Science educators are trying to identify the major problems associated with the teaching and learning of Biology in the Nigeria schools.
Despite all these noble efforts, the problem of poor performance has continued to surface in nation’s public examination. Hence, in view of this, the aimed of this study is to find out the effect of cooperative learning strategy on students academic performance in Biology in secondary schools.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ academic performance in Biology in Secondary Schools in Ini Local Government Area.
Specifically, the study seeks to:
- Examine the difference in the academic performance of Biology Students taught using cooperative learning strategy and those taught using conventional learning strategy.
- Investigating whether there is a difference between the academic performance of male and female Biology students taught using cooperative learning strategy.
1.4 Research Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study;
- There is no significant different in the academic performance of Biology Students taught using cooperative learning strategy and those taught using conventional learning strategy.
- There is no significant different between the academic performance of male and female Biology students taught using cooperative learning strategy
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be of tremendous assistance to all involved in the teaching and learning process. Specifically, it is hoped that this study would be of help to the Biology teachers. It is hoped that it will provide a more efficient method of teaching Biology considering the worldwide reports about the capability of cooperative learning strategy.
It is hope to promote students personal relationship as they relate with one another during lessons’ periods and equally enable the slow learners to learn from the fast learners in the group.
The result of this study may also provide curriculum planners necessary information that may be importance during curriculum review. Moreover, the findings of this study will served as a reference point to future researchers.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
The scope of this study is delimited to cooperative learning strategy and students’ academic performance in Biology in Secondary Schools in Ini Local Government Area. The population of the study consists of all the SS2 Biology students in the study area.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
The following challenges were confronted by the researcher in the course of conducting this study: Due to the high cost of transportation of visiting all the selected schools for this study finance was a great problem to the researcher. also the period of the time given for the completion of the study was not sufficient based on the fact that the researcher had other school activities to carry out as at the time of conducting this study. Effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ academic performance in biology in secondary schools.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
The following terms were defined as they are utilized in this study.
Cooperative Learning: This is a successful teaching strategy in which students are divided into small groups or teams, each with students of different levels of ability; use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject.
Academic performance: This refers to the scores or grade of students recorded in exams or test.
Conventional Learning Strategy: This refers to the normal class situation, where students are allowed to learn individually.
Gender: This refers to the sex of the students which could be male and female.
Biology: This is a science subject that deals with the study of life.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter deals with the review of the related literature under the following sub-headings; Concept of Cooperative Learning, Cooperative learning and academic performance of students, students’ gender and their academic performance, and summary of the related literature review.
2.1 Concept of Cooperative Learning
Cooperative learning is the umbrella term for a variety of educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together (Wendy, 2015). It requires a small number of students to work together on a common task, supporting and encouraging one another to improve in their learning through interdependence and cooperation with one another. The cooperative learning groups usually comprises two to five students in a group that allows everyone to participate in a clearly designed task (Okoro, 2013).
Students within small groups’ cooperative learning are encouraged to share ideas and materials and divide the work when appropriate to complete the task. Small group competitive learning provides students with opportunity to explore and discuss topics with peers in a Bonds-on, interactive environment (Larry and Hartman, 2012).
Gillies (2014) affirmed that students benefit academically and socially from cooperative learning. The theoretical foundations of cooperative learning grew out of the work of social psychologist, Morton Deutsch, who specialized in the study of social interdependence. He studied the effects of different group structures on the process and outcomes of group efforts in a variety of social and work settings.
There are two major theoretical perspectives related to cooperative learning. They are motivation and cognitive theories. The motivational theories of cooperative learning emphasize the students’ incentives to do academic work, while the cognitive theories emphasize the effects of working together. There are two cognitive theories that are directly applied to cooperative learning, the developmental and the elaboration theories.
The developmental theory assumes that interaction among students around appropriate tasks increases their mastery of critical concepts (Damon, 2016). When students interact with other students, they have to explain and discuss each other’s perspectives, which lead to greater understanding of the material to be learned, the struggle to resolve potential conflicts during collaborative activity results in the development of higher levels of understanding (Slavin, 2010).
The elaboration theory suggests that one of the most effective means of learning is to explain the material to someone else. Cooperative learning activities enhance elaborative thinking and more frequent giving and receiving of explanations, which has the potential to increase depth of understanding, the quality of reasoning, and the accuracy of long term retention (Johnson, 2016).
Students work in four or five groups member on a group assignment sheet. During discussion, if students ask the teacher a question, the teacher will refer such students to their groups to find answer. After the group discussion, a leader is chosen to present group’s result to the entire class, and groups receive reward together. Scores are based on both individual performance and the success of the group, but individual do not compete with one another. Effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ academic performance in biology in secondary schools.
The learning together strategy of cooperative learning provides a conceptual framework for teacher to plan and tailor cooperative learning strategy according to their circumstances, students’ needs, and school contexts (Ghazi, 2013).
Cooperative learning can be formal or informal, but often involves specific instructor intervention to maximize students’ interaction and learning. In formal cooperative learning, students work together for one or more class periods to complete a joint task or assignment, while in the informal cooperative learning small, temporary, ad-hoc groups of two to four students work together for brief periods in a class, typically up to one class period, to answer questions or respond to prompts posed by the instructor. In cooperative instructional strategy there is a common goal, and the achievement of the group determines the success of individuals. If the group does not succeed, individuals cannot succeed.
Etobro (2019) opined that cooperative learning is a dynamic learner-centred approach that enhances students learning in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. Eziyi, Mumuni and Nwanekezi (2016) stated that in a cooperative instructional approach, learners of diversified ability levels explore the socio-cultural significance of human movement by working together in small structured groups with the sole aim of completing tasks.
In such small groups, individual member of a group takes responsible not only what is been taught but at the same time assisting members of the group to learn what is taught in order to achieve the set goals.
In cooperative instructional approach, the success of the group is anchored on the performance of the entire group rather than on the performance of individual learners in the group.
With cooperative instructional approach, the different tasks learners are exposed to; enhances learners understanding of each other’s abilities, interests and needs. The various tasks encourage learners to take responsibility for their learning, thus imbibing the basic cooperative values and attitudes they require in relating with their fellow learners within and outside the classroom.
It further promotes the communication of pre-social behaviour, encouraging high thought processes and fostering concept understanding and achievement (Ajaja, 2013).
In cooperative instructional approach, learners are actively engaged in the instructional process; imbibe appropriate models of social behaviour as well as improving their critical thinking, problem solving and reasoning skills.
All students in a group are expected to learn all the subject matter assigned to members of their group. After instruction, teachers test students individually and produce team scores based on each student’s test performance. The challenges of teaching science are to teach it in a way that enables pupils to learn science concepts while acquiring process skills and positive scientific attitudes. Effective ways of accomplishing these objectives is through involving students in hands-on activities in the context of cooperative learning.
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Cooperative Learning and Academic Performance of Students
Cooperative Learning has been well documented in the educational research as a successful pedagogy to improve students’ academic achievement. It is a fundamental principle of Cooperative Learning that group members are linked together in such a way that they cannot succeed unless everyone succeed, they will actively assist each other to make sure that the assignment is done and the purpose of the group achieved (Barman, 2014). They acquire this by providing help and cooperation to each other, sharing resources, and encouraging each other’s efforts.
As a result, group members who work in cooperative groups outperform students who work by themselves or in competition with each other (as seen in competitive conventional classrooms).
Cooperative Learning is one of the two ways of organizing the learning environment of a classroom, the other being competitive. In Cooperative Learning environment, the goals of separate individuals become so linked that there is a positive correlation between them; on the contrary, in a competitive conventional environment, the goals of the students are so linked that there is a negative correlation between their goal attainments (Johnson, 2016).
Cooperative Learning establishes a community in which students can get help and support from other group members immediately in a non-competitive learning environment, just raising their hands and waiting for the right answers to be given. Effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ academic performance in biology in secondary schools.
Over the last decade, cooperative learning has emerged as the leading approach to classroom instruction. One important reason for its advocacy is that numerous research studies revealed that students completing cooperative learning group tasks tend to have higher academic test scores, higher self-esteem, and greater numbers of positive social skills, fewer stereotypes of individuals of other races or ethnic groups, and greater comprehension of the content and skills they are studying (Eyoh, 2011).
Cooperation is working together to accomplish shared goals. Within cooperative activities individuals seek outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and beneficial to all other group members. Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning.
Cooperative learning can be defined as a teaching method that involves students in learning process in order to understand and learn content of the subject (Okwelle, 2019). Traditional class activities create a win-win situation, where one can only succeed if other loose, while cooperative learning is direct opposite to it. Here conquest of all is success of all.
Cooperative learning has edge over other teaching methods in terms of its effectiveness for improved cognition, social skills and motivation. Two major attributes that have distinguished cooperative learning from traditional learning include interdependence (positive) as well as accountability as each member of the group is important for success.
Braird (2014) investigated the effectiveness of cooperative learning on students’ academic performance in computer under cooperative and teacher-centered learning environments. He found that students in cooperative learning group exhibited higher level of academic performance.
Chien (2012) also conducted an experiment on two vocational senior high classes to observe cooperative learning effect in the classroom.
Result indicated that students in cooperative learning group performed better than their colleagues in the traditional learning group.
Holmes (2017) conducted a research study to examine the effect of group learning on the academic performance of students. His findings revealed that students who use group study habits performed significantly better than their counterparts who adopt conventional classroom activities. He therefore concluded that group learning strategy has significant effect on students’ academic performance.
Troper (2015) explained that in group learning, students are encouraged to be active participants in the construction of their own knowledge. The authors added that cooperative learning also encourages students to interact and to communicate with peers in harmony. In this way, cooperative learning promotes values such as honesty, cooperation, mutual respect, responsibility, tolerance, and willingness to satisfy a consensus, and execution of duties in cooperative learning can develop self-confidence in students.
In cooperative instructional approach, the success of the group is anchored on the performance of the entire group rather than on the performance of individual learners in the group. With cooperative instructional approach, the different tasks learners are exposed to; enhances learners understanding of each other’s abilities, interests and needs.
The various tasks encourage learners to take responsibility for their learning, thus imbibing the basic cooperative values and attitudes they require in relating with their fellow learners within and outside the classroom. It further promotes the communication of pre-social behaviour, encouraging high thought processes and fostering concept understanding and achievement (Ajaja, 2013).
In cooperative instructional approach, learners are actively engaged in the instructional process; imbibe appropriate models of social behaviour as well as improving their critical thinking, problem solving and reasoning skills.
2.3 Students’ Gender and their Academic Performance
Gender is specially constructed phenomenon that is brought about as society ascribes different role, duties, behaviours, and mannerisms to the two sexes. It is a social connotation that has sound psychological background, and it is used to refer to specific cultural patterns of behavior that are attributed to human sexes. Gender relates to cultural attributes of both males and females.
Gender according to Okwelle (2019) is a psychological experience of being a male or female it can do with personality and central component of self-concept.
Chien (2012) once described gender stereotype in school as “hidden curriculum” which send out messages to girls to conform to role expectation. In most societies, gender has role based on the women folk, preventing their participating in, and benefiting from development efforts (Etobro, 2019). Thus has created a big psychological alienation depression in the minds of the female students. As a result, boys dominate chemistry physics and Mathematics classes while the girl goes into Biological sciences, languages and Arts.
Okeke (2017) equally observed that, the Nigerian school curriculum is not gender fair since its contents reflect mainly the concerns of males, science career portray mescaline imagines in the curriculum and more still, female suffer discrimination from teachers overtly and covertly, knowingly and unknowingly. These actions automatically put the girls in a disadvantage position for achievement in classroom interaction especially in science related subjects.
Okoro (2013) thus observed that males and females show great differences in their interest and career choice. These differences may be attributed to the psychological difference and cultural influences. Females’ enrollment in vocations is quite different from those of males. Even parents generally encourage their daughters to opt for professions not masculine in nature.
Etobro (2019) has it that local customs, values have been developing in girls, and they are so deeply ingrained that some of them find it difficult to cope in areas that are believed to be male dominated professions. Molla (2018) observed that, invisible rules within the society have provided what is feminine and what is masculine. This could also be found in mathematics classroom as male students dominate the female folk in all sorts of curricula activities.
Denga (2016) posited that no evidence is clear as to whether differences exist between males and females in academic achievement. He however stated that, girls tend to do better than boys in language Arts like English Language and Music while boys tend to outperform the girls in Mathematics and Science in the same vein, Okobia (2011) pointed out that attempting to relate problems. Gender differences in intellectual abilities can be as a result of gender role stereotyping.
Gender differences in academic performance cannot therefore be assumed to be due to inherent biological differences between the genders even if they exist. The theory of innate gender differences in ability that might be used to account for gender differences in academic performance has weak evidence. According to Kelly, in many psychological areas, it is virtual impossibility to separate completely the innate from the acquired.
Chien (2012) explained that, the influence of gender and differences in academic performance is a complex task, thus many studies appear to be contradictory.
A tremendous amount of work has been done in an attempt to find out potential causes of differences between girls’ and boys’ academic performance in Biology and this has clearly demonstrated that male students are superior to their female counterparts in qualitative courses. Okoro (2013) pointed out that girls are more conforming, suggestible and dependent on the opinions of others.
Slavin (2010) noted that female students are lower in Mathematics and spatial ability, as males were superior to females on problem solving task and on specific abilities related to problem solving.
Okwelle (2019) contended that there are gender differences in intellectual functioning that attempts to account for both mean differences and differences in correlation patterns between the genders. He concluded that in the period of secondary school and beyond, the intellectual domain reveals few consistent differences between the genders.
Okwelle (2019) indicate in an investigation spanning twelve industrialized countries the ability of both male and female students in their general academic performance. The result revealed that males were superior over females.
2.4 Summary of the Literature Review
This chapter deals with the review of the related literature under the following sub-headings; Concept of Cooperative Learning, Cooperative learning and academic performance of students, students’ gender and their academic performance, and summary of the related literature review.
The review shows that Cooperative learning is the umbrella term for a variety of educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together. It requires a small number of students to work together on a common task, supporting and encouraging one another to improve their learning through interdependence and cooperation with one another. It was also revealed that Cooperative Learning has positive impact on the academic performance of students; both male and female.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter deals with methodology involved in carrying out this study. It examines the following, area of the research, research design, population of study, sample and sampling techniques, instrument for data collection, validity of the instrument, administration of the instrument, and method of data analysis.
3.1 Research Area
This study was carried out among secondary schools students in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Ini Local Government Area shares boundary with three Local Government Areas (Ikono, Ibiono and Obot Akara Local Governments) and Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State.
Ini Local Government Area consists of five clans (Ikpe Clan, Itu Mbonuso Clan, Nkari Clan, Odoro Ikono Clan and Iwerre Clan). The people of Ini Local Government Area are of Ibibio extraction, they speak Ibibio Language and eat Ibibio delicacies, except Iwere, Itumbonuso and Nkari who speak Ibibio along with their Language.
There are 11 Political Wards in Ini L.G.A. Its population according to the 2006 census is 172,000. It inhabitant are mostly farmers, craftmen and civil servants.
The area hosts some government interest like the general hospital located in Ikpe Ikot Nkon, police stations and schools. The traditional heritages of the area include Ekpo Masquerader and cultural dance etc. The area is blessed with nine (9) Public secondary schools. The available natural resources in the area include palm trees, rice, cocoa and forest resources such as timber and gravel sand.
3.2 Research Design
The study adopted quasi experimental research design in carrying out the study. This is because the researcher manipulated the independent variable to check the effect on the dependent variable.
3.3 Population of the Study
The population of the study consisted of all the senior secondary two (SS2) Biology students in Ini Local Government Area. The total population was one thousand two hundred and three (1,203) students in all the nine (9) public secondary schools in the study area (Ini Local Education Authority, 2020).
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique
The sample size for this study was one hundred and twenty (120) SS2 Biology students selected from four schools using intact classes. However, the four schools were selected using simple random sampling technique.
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection
The instrument used for data collection in this study was Biology Achievement Test (BAT). The research instrument has two (2) sections; section A and section B., section A contained demographic data of the respondents while section B contained ten (10) multiply choice items with four options.
3.6 Validation of the Instrument
The instrument used in collecting the needed data for this study was validated by the researchers supervisor and two (2) other experts in research from the department of educational foundation to ensure it measures what it purported to measure and corrections and suggestions made were effected appropriately before final production of the instrument and administration to the respondents.
3.7 Administration of the Instrument
The researcher personally visited all the selected schools for this study. After obtaining permission from the principals of those schools, she was introduced to the SS2 class teacher who led the researcher to meet the students in their classes.
Among the four schools selected, the researcher taught the students in two schools using cooperative learning strategy technique, while she taught the students in remaining two schools using conventional learning strategy. The exercise took the researcher two weeks.
Thereafter, the Achievement Test developed on the topic taught was administered to all the students in all the two groups. The data collected was used for analysis.
3.8 Scoring of the Instrument
The Biology Achievement Test carries one correct answer and each correct answer carries 10 marks and zero to wrong answers. Maximum of 100 marks was obtained while minimum was zero.
3.9 Method of Data Analysis
The method used in analyzing the data collected was independent t-test statistical method.
CONCLUSION
The following conclusions were made based on the findings of this study: Significant different exist between the academic performance of Biology Students taught using cooperative learning strategy and those taught using conventional learning strategy.
That is, students taught using cooperative learning strategy performed better than those taught using conventional learning strategy. It was also revealed that no significant different exist between the academic performance of male and female Biology students taught using cooperative learning strategy.
I am Prince Stephen. The admin of nairaschool.com.ng. I’m a passionate writer, editor and an experienced educational blogger who writes articles on education, educational research and school news. I based in Afaha Nsit, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
