Effect of Cooperative Learning on Chemistry Students’ Achievement in Rwandan Day-upper Secondary Schools
The cooperative learning (CL) is an advanced instructional approach that uses different motivational procedures to make instruction significant and le.
- Pub. date: October 15, 2021
- Pages: 2079-2088
- 509 Downloads
- 525 Views
- 7 Citations
The cooperative learning (CL) is an advanced instructional approach that uses different motivational procedures to make instruction significant and learners more responsible. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cooperative learning on students' achievement in chemistry among the advanced level in 12-year basic education schools; it engaged a quasi-experimental design with one treatment group and a comparison group (control); the first applied cooperative learning in teaching organic chemistry while in the control group, organic chemistry was taught by the conventional teaching methods (CTM). A sample of 257 students participated in the study. The data collected used an organic Chemistry Achievement Test, and its data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 and MS Excel 2016. The ANCOVA results showed that learners taught using cooperative learning achieved better than their counterparts in the control group (F=78.07, df=1, 256, p<.001) with the learning gains of 16.0% in traditional methods and 53.6% of cooperative learning approach, respectively. However, there was no statistically significant difference in gender of students. It is recommended that chemistry teachers be trained on cooperative learning and encouraged to apply it in their teaching methods to enhance students' academic achievement.
Keywords: Academic achievement, basic education, chemistry education, cooperative learning, secondary schools in Rwanda.
References
Byusa, E., Kampire, E., & Mwesigye, A. R. (2020). Analysis of teaching techniques and scheme of work in teaching chemistry in Rwandan secondary schools. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(6), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/7833
Canelas, D. A., Hill, L., & Novicki, A. (2017). Research and practice cooperative learning in organic chemistry increases student assessment of learning gains in key transferable skills. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 18(3), 441–456. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7RP00014F
Çağatay, G., & Demircioğlu, G. (2013). The effect of jigsaw-i cooperative learning technique on students’ understanding about basic organic chemistry concepts. International Journal of Educational Researchers, 4(2), 30–37. https://doi.org/10.7176/jep/45-01-934
Chee, Y. S., & Tan, K. C. D. (2012). Becoming chemists through game-based inquiry learning: The case of legends of Alkhimia. Electronic Journal of E-Learning, 10(2), 185–198.
Cooper, M. M., Stowe, R. L., Crandell, O. M., & Klymkowsky, M. W. (2019). Organic chemistry, life, the universe and everything (OCLUE): A transformed organic chemistry curriculum. Journal of Chemical Education. 96(9), 1858-1872. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00401
Del, C. M. R. R., Corona, L. B., & Ibáñez, M. V. (2015). Cooperative learning in the implementation of teaching chemistry (didactic instrumentation) in engineering in México. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 2920–2925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1029
Ejidike, I. P., & Oyelana, A. A. (2015). Factors influencing effective teaching of chemistry: A case study of some selected high schools in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 8(3), 605–617. https://doi.org/10.1080/09751122.2015.11890282
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in education (8th ed.). Mc Graw Hill.
Gabriel, I. A., Osuafor, A. M., Cornelius, N. A., Obinna, P. P., & Francis, E. (2018). Improving students' achievement in chemistry through cooperative learning and individualized instruction. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 26(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.9734/jesbs/2018/42873
Gamit, A. D., Antolin, J. A., & Gabriel, A. G. (2017). The effects of cooperative learning in enhancing the performance level of grade-10 mathematics students in Talavera national high school in the Philippines. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics, 5(12), 2386–2401. https://doi.org/10.4236/jamp.2017.512195
Gillies, R. M. (2016). Cooperative learning: Review of research and practice. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41(3), 39–54. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2016v41n3.3
Hake, R. R. (1998). Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. American Journal of Physics, 66(1), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.18809
Horowitz, G., Rabin, L. A., & Brodale, D. L. (2013). Improving student performance in organic chemistry: Help seeking behaviors and prior chemistry aptitude. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(3), 120–133.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. (2014) Cooperative learning: improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25(3/4), 85–118.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2014). Aprendizaje cooperativo en el siglo XXI. [Cooperative Learning in 21st Century]. Annals of Psychology/ Anales de Psicología, 30(3), 841-851. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.201241
Kabutu, F. R., Oloyede, O. I., & Ogunsola-Bandele, M. F. (2015). An investigation into the achievement of junior secondary school students taught Integrated Science using the cooperative learning strategy in Nigeria. International Journal of Physics & Chemistry Education, 7(2), 63-73. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejpce.2015.1089a
Karaçöp, A. (2016). Effects of student teams-achievement divisions cooperative learning with models on students' understanding of electrochemical cells. International Education Studies, 9(11), 104-120. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v9n11p104
Magnusson, K. (2021). Interpreting Cohen's d effect size: an interactive visualization. R Psychologist. https://rpsychologist.com/cohend/
Mahdi, J. G. (2014). Student attitudes towards chemistry: an examination of choices and preferences. American Journal of Educational Research, 2(6), 351–356. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-2-6-3
Muhammad, B. (2013). Qualitative chemistry education: The Role of the Teacher. IOSR Journal of Applied Chemistry, 4(5), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.9790/5736-0451014
Muraya, D. N., & Kimamo, G. (2011). Effects of cooperative learning approach on biology mean achievement scores of secondary school students in Machakos District, Kenya. Educational Research and Reviews, 6(12), 726-745.
Ndihokubwayo, K., Habiyaremye, H. T., & Rukundo, J. C. (2019). Rwandan new competence-based curriculum implementation and issues; Sector-based trainers. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, 16(1), 24–41.
Ndihokubwayo, K., Uwamahoro, J., & Ndayambaje, I. (2020). Effectiveness of PhET simulations and YouTube videos to improve the learning of optics in Rwandan secondary schools. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 24(2), 253–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2020.1818042
Ngozi-Olehi, L. C., Duru, C. E., Uchegbu, R. I., & Amanze, K. O. (2018). Improving interest and performance in organic chemistry pedagogy by incooperating animations. American Journal of Educational Research, 6(3), 277-280.
Nizeyimana, G., Nzabalirwa, W., Mukingambeho, D., & Nkiliye, I. (2020). Hindrances to quality of basic education in Rwanda. Rwandan Journal of Education, 5(1), 1–14.
Oginni, A. M., Awobodu, V. Y., Alaka, M. O., & Saibu, S. O. (2013). School factors as correlates of students' achievement in chemistry students. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 3(3), 1516–1523. https://doi.org/10.20533/ijcdse.2042.6364.2013.0213
Oludipe, D., & Awokoy, J. O. (2010). Effect of cooperative learning teaching strategy on the reduction of students' anxiety for learning chemistry. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 7(1), 30–36.
Omwirhiren, E. M., & Ubanwa, A. O. (2016). An analysis of misconceptions in organic chemistry among selected senior secondary school students in Zaria local government area of Kaduna state, Nigeria. International Journal of Education and Research, 4(7), 247-266.
Otieno, O. J. (2012). Determinants of students' poor performance in chemistry in public secondary schools of Kwale County, Kenya [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Kenyatta University.
Pateşan, M., Balagiu, A., & Zechia, D. (2016). The benefits of cooperative learning. International Conference knowledge-based organization, 22(2), 478–483. https://doi.org/10.1515/kbo-2016-0082
Ramsook, L. (2018). Cooperative learning as a constructivist strategy in tertiary education. International Journal of Education and Research, 6(1), 149-160.
Rwanda Basic Education Board. (2015a). Advanced level chemistry syllabus. Ministry of Education. https://elearning.reb.rw
Rwanda Basic Education Board. (2015b). Competency-based curriculum-summary of curriculum framework pre-primary to upper secondary. Ministry of Education. https://elearning.reb.rw
Shabani, K., Khatib, M., & Ebadi, S. (2010). Vygotsky's zone of proximal development: Instructional implications and teachers' professional development. English language Teaching, 3(4), 237-248. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v3n4p237
Sharan, Y. (2010). Cooperative learning for academic and social gains: Valued pedagogy, problematic practice. European Journal of Education, 45(2), 300–313. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-3435.2010.01430.x
Sibomana, A., Karegeya, C., & Sentongo, J. (2021). Students’ conceptual understanding of organic chemistry and classroom implications in the Rwandan perspectives: A literature review. African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences, 16(2), 13-32. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v16i2.2
Sibomana, A., Nicol, C. B., Nzabalirwa, W., Nsanganwimana, F., Karegeya, C., & Sentongo, J. (2021). Factors affecting the achievement of twelve-year basic students in mathematics and science in Rwanda. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(7), 61–84. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.7.4
Slavich, G. M., & Zimbardo, P. G. (2012). Transformational teaching: Theoretical underpinnings, basic principles, and core methods. Educational Psychology Review, 24(4), 569-608. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-012-9199-6
Slavin, R. E. (2014). Aprendizaje cooperativo y rendimiento académico:¿ por qué funciona el trabajo en grupo? [Cooperative Learning and Academic Achievement: Why Does Groupwork Work?]. Annals of Psychology/Anales de Psicología, 30(3), 785-791. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.201201
Subedi, D. (2016). Explanatory sequential mixed method design as the third research community of knowledge claim. American Journal of Educational Research, 4(7), 570-577.
Sunggingwati, D. (2018). Cooperative learning in peer teaching: A case study in an EFL context. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(1), 149–157. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i1.11475
Tombak, B., & Altun, S. (2016). The effect of cooperative learning: University example. Educational Studies, 64, 173–196. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2016.64.10
Tran, V. D., Giang, A., & Giang, A. (2014). The effects of cooperative learning on the academic achievement and knowledge retention. International Journal of Higher Education, 3(2), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v3n2p131
Vygotsky, L., & Cole, M. (2018). Lev Vygotsky: learning and social constructivism. In S. Macblain (Ed.), Learning theories for early years practice (1st ed., p. 58). Sage Publication Ltd.
Yassin, A. A., Razak, N. A., & Maasum, N. R. M. (2018). Cooperative learning: General and theoretical background. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 5(8), 642–654.
Yeung, H. W. C., & Coe, N. (2015). Toward a dynamic theory of global production networks. Economic Geography, 91(1), 29-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecge.12063
Yusuf, S. D. (2014). Effects of collaborative learning on chemistry students' academic achievement and anxiety level in balancing chemical equations in secondary school in Katsina. Journal of Education and Vocational Research, 5(2), 43–48. https://doi.org/10.22610/jevr.v5i2.151