Identifier

etd-08252010-001820

Degree

Master of Natural Sciences (MNS)

Department

Natural Sciences (Interdepartmental Program)

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

In a desperate attempt to improve high school classroom performances, recently, schools have begun to move towards incorporating cooperative learning strategies into their classrooms. Generally, cooperative learning strategies can be described as the use of small groups to encourage learners work together and accomplish shared goals and subsequently maximize theirs and others’ potential. In an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy on classroom learning, this study compares the gains in means of scores between a group taught using cooperative learning strategies and another group taught using non-cooperative learning strategies. Fifty-three students taking Algebra I were given a pretest before administering this strategy then a posttests afterwards to determine the normalized gain based on the Hake equation. Thirty-one students participated in cooperative learning out of which 77% showed a net mean positive gain whereas, the 22 students in the non-cooperative group had a positive gain of 54%. Comparison of these results did not indicate any statistical significance between the two groups. However, it was observed that students who worked in cooperative groups were more engaged, more responsible in completing group assignments and more organized while working in their respective groups. These results may encourage the practice of cooperative learning strategies in a high schoollevel setting.

Date

2010

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Watkins, Steven F

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.1607

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