The Effect of Cooperative Learning on Students’ Performance in Trigonometry: A Case Study of Mukuba Boys Secondary School, Kitwe, Zambia
- October 23, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue X, October 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Racheal Nambeye1*, Elizabeth Boby Samuel2
1.Mukuba University, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, P.O Box 20382, Zambia
2 Copperbelt University, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, P.O Box 21692, Zambia
Abstract:-Trigonometry is a very important topic in mathematics education. Trigonometric functions have many applications in fields such as adverse physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, music, astronomy and biology. This study investigates the effect of Cooperative Learning specifically the Jigsaw on students’ performance in trigonometry at Mukuba Boys Secondary School and explores the following Research Questions: (a) What effect does Cooperative Learning (Jigsaw) have on students’ performance in Trigonometry? (b) What are the students’ perceptions toward learning of trigonometry using the Cooperative Learning Approach? (c) What are the challenges that students face in trigonometry using Cooperative learning (Jigsaw) vis-à-vis conventional method? The design of the study was pre-test post-test control quasi-experimental design which involves two grade 11 classes. One was assigned experimental group and the other control. The sample for the study consisted of 60 students of which 30 students were in each group. The experimental group was taught using cooperative learning approach while the control group was taught using conventional learning. A pre-test was used to establish the equivalence and homogeneity of the two groups in academic ability whereas a post-test was used to assess the effect of cooperative learning on student’s performance in trigonometry. The study compares the means of scores between experimental and control groups and an independent sample t-test was used to analyse the data at an alpha level of 0.05. In the pretest, comparison results did not show any statistical significance between the two groups. The post-test comparison results showed that there was a statistical significance of p-value=0.000<0.05,t(58)=4.138in favour of the experimental group. Furthermore, results of the study indicated that the cooperative learning approach had a positive effect on enhancing students’ performance and perception toward trigonometry. The main challenges encountered by students when learning trigonometry were lack of understanding of the concepts. It was also noticed that cooperative learning group were more engaged, more responsible in completing group assignments while working in their respective groups. Therefore, cooperative learning approach was found to have had a positive effect on students’ performance in trigonometry. The study recommended that cooperative learning techniques are well integrated with heuristic approaches in order to enhance involvement of students in classroom interaction and participation in the teaching and learning of trigonometry and the use and implementation of cooperative learning strategies should be embrace by teachers in order to develop variety of instructional method that best befits the learning needs of their students.
Key words: Jigsaw, Cooperative Learning Approach, Performance, Trigonometry.
