Enhancing Students’ Collaboration in Science through the Implementation of Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer Cooperative Learning Strategy

Enhancing Students’ Collaboration in Science through the Implementation of Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer Cooperative Learning Strategy

Jessielou M. Tambiga¹, Tessie A. Ruelan², Genelyn R. Baluyos³

^1,3College of Education, Misamis University

²Basic Education Department, Misamis University

DOI : https://doi.org/10.51584/IJRIAS.2024.912011

Received: 24 November 2024; Accepted: 28 November 2024; Published: 01 January 2025

ABSTRACT

Through cooperative learning, this action research project aims to improve students’ social skills and provide a friendly and learning-focused classroom environment. Despite the emphasis on scientific education, many students need help to satisfy the requirements of this topic. This study aimed to improve the science collaboration of ninth-grade students by using a classroom-based action research methodology to adopt the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning paradigm. Purposive sampling was used to choose thirty-three participants for the A. Y. 2023–2024 in an Ozamiz City private school. Utilizing methods like mean, standard deviation, and t-test, the study employed a test created by the researcher and Minitab statistical software. Before the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy could implemented, 33 students (100.00%) were classified as “boring and difficult” because they did not match the expectations (M =14.455; SD = 2.252). Students are encouraged to solve scientific problems with the assistance of their peers following the use of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning technique. The student’s total performance increased considerably (M = 24.879; SD = 3.498), which may be used to determine whether or not online classes are fostering active learning. The results demonstrated that applying the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning technique enhanced student learning experiences in mathematics problem-solving and collaborative scientific learning. This bolsters a suggestion to use this tactic as a teaching approach to improve student cooperation. The study’s conclusions demonstrated how putting the Given, Required, Evaluated, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique into practice enhanced learning opportunities and strengthened students’ scientific teamwork. This validates a suggestion for using the cooperative learning approach of Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer, which enhances scientific problem-solving.

Keywords: academic performance, enhance students’ social skills, enhancing the learning problem solving in mathematics, students’ collaboration, team collaboration

CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

Problem-solving skills will be necessary for the workforce of the future in many STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Developing problem-solving abilities in higher education requires a range of instructional methodologies to provide students the chance to become more tangible with theoretical concepts and to get ready for new problems (Netwong, 2018). Science may be a challenging subject for students to master since it demands them to decipher complex ideas and work out the nuances of scientific theories. Understanding complicated concepts requires more than just memorization of facts.

Only 22% of students in the Philippines reached Level 2 or above in science. These students possess the comprehension and elucidation of well-known scientific phenomena, utilizing their expertise to evaluate the soundness of conclusions drawn from given evidence in basic scenarios. There were few top performers, too, as only a small percentage of pupils attained Levels 5 or 6. Students at these levels can apply their scientific knowledge creatively and independently to various circumstances, even novel ones. This indicates that scientific education must be improved to increase students’ general performance and foster advanced problem-solving skills (OECD, 2018).

In essence, teaching physics means giving pupils the knowledge, skills, and morals associated with the scientific investigation of matter and energy (Muzumara, 2009). It addresses abstract ideas. According to Reveles et al. (2009), there was evidence that pupils struggled to comprehend the abstract concepts taught in biology. That physics was seen as “boring” and “difficult.” They also mentioned that one of the primary reasons for students’ apathy toward the topic is the belief that physics is hard and pointless Sillitto and MacKinnon (2011).

Teachers are essential in collaborative learning because they help students work through problems. Thus, teacher education institutions significantly prepare aspiring teachers to use innovative group learning strategies like CL. Consequently, teacher educators who promote structure and autonomy in the teacher preparation program help implement CL in classrooms (Cañabate et al., 2021). In the same vein, careful observation, encouragement, and mentoring of student interactions are necessary to successfully use CL in teacher education (Kaendler et al., 2019). Moreover, instruction is required (van Leeuwen & Janssen, 2019).

Scientific education has to be reinforced through the use of a variety of instructional strategies to improve performance and motivate students. Teachers must use the best teaching techniques to raise pupils’ academic performance. In order to help students avoid this issue, it is essential to look at the physics education system Bello (2011).

Students must actively participate in their education to be motivated to finish each step. The learning process will not proceed if students engage passively in learning activities. The following are signs that learning occurs because of how it is designed: First, pupils need to pay attention to what is being taught. This is because learning involves thinking and active engagement in all activities. Most pupils talk and use their phones when the teacher presents a video. Furthermore, while some students discuss the movie with their seatmates, others ignore them. Secondly, some pupils need to read their video evaluation out loud. Third, many pupils only write a few sentences for their homework assignments on video reviews. Fourth, there is a lack of active inquiry and opinion expression on the part of the students, as demonstrated by the fact that no student asks questions when given a chance or when the teacher presents a stimulus while covering material, and no student responds to the stimulus (Sudjana, 2010).

Students must guided effectively using suitable teaching methodologies to improve memory and performance in Physics. It was discovered that Nigerian educators still deliver physics concepts using traditional methods, mostly debate and chalk lectures. Conventional teaching methods place the instructor in the center and have them talk to the passive pupils. It does not promote critical thinking, meaningful learning, or student participation in the teaching and learning process (Njoku, 2018; Ada, 2017).

Students learn about the physical world and matter through the important natural science subject of physics. Living well in the current scientific and technological world requires a solid understanding of physics. It is one of the most effective ways science interacts with or uses matter to benefit human needs (Omeodu, 2019).

After Bloom (1956) identified seven phases of learning, from fundamental to advanced comprehension, the issue of cooperative learning study in education expanded. These stages include Remembering, comprehension, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. Presently, best practices advise teachers to get their pupils thinking at the creation level of the taxonomy. They recognized five fundamental elements of cooperative learning: constructive interdependence, personal and collective responsibility, interpersonal and small-group skills, in-person promotional involvement, and group processing.

Since cooperative learning encompasses a broad range of educational concepts, we have chosen to concentrate on the main advantages students derive from this form of instruction compared to more conventional methods in secondary school classrooms. The benefits that have been looked into include self-efficacy, achievement, accommodating different learning styles, collaboration, and promoting critical thinking. Interest is a feeling that makes something interesting or causes one to care about it. Future engagement in Physics positively correlates with students’ interest in the topic. Using better teaching practices, instructors may help students become more interested in Physics and make the subject more engaging (Djudin, 2018).

After introducing the K–12 curriculum in the Philippines in 2012, scientific education changed dramatically. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) (Tirol et al., 2021) provides evidence that the science curriculum incorporates various learning components to comprehend scientific ideas comprehensively. This significant revision in the curriculum was a response to external pressures, particularly concerns about the Philippines lagging behind other nations in international assessment results. It encompasses various disciplines, including earth science, which investigates the complexities of the planet’s geological processes; biology, which studies the wonders of living things and ecosystems; chemistry, which represents the make-up and interactions of matter; and physics, which includes the basic principles governing energy, motion, and the behavior of the physical world. This program seeks to provide pupils with a well-rounded scientific education by encouraging curiosity and critical thinking across various scientific fields.

It has been demonstrated that physics students are more enthusiastic about the subject when taught in interactive classrooms. According to the findings, curiosity must focus learners’ attention on societal expectations. As a result, students are inspired to look for content that is significant to society by their regular engagement and enthusiasm with social media. Boys and girls may find it easier to learn the concepts in Physics if they use YouTube instructional video packages to capture and hold their attention (Ali, 2019). As a result, pupils’ interest in physics is still being determined. Consequently, physics teachers need help finding relevant advice on how to provide physics education most effectively and a response to the query of how much time ought to be devoted to developing conceptual reasoning vs quantitative reasoning. Because engineering students typically take many physics courses, the student’s viewpoint on physics learning is considerably more striking.

Educational research has focused a great deal of attention on collaborative learning, which is defined by student interaction, cooperative problem-solving, and shared knowledge construction, as a novel and promising pedagogical approach to improving students’ math achievement and fostering positive attitudes toward mathematics (Agwu & Nmadu, 2023; Capar & Tarim, 2015; Hoang et al., 2023; Kibirige & Lehong, 2016; Lahann & Lambdin, 2014; O’Grady-Jones & Grant, 2023; Olanrewaju, 2019; Rao et al., 2020).

Students receive instruction in a collaborative learning environment. Prioritizing in-depth subject study is one-way collaborative learning produces higher grades than competitive or lonely learning. Third, children are taught civic virtues and social skills. Fourth, students develop more advanced critical thinking skills. Fifth, learners collaboratively foster personal development. Finally, students become enthusiastic about learning on their own. The fundamental premise is that learning happens best when students interact with peers and share knowledge (Hsu & Shiue et al., 2020).

Despite these investigations, more empirical data and understanding are needed to determine the effects of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique on grade 9 students’ academic achievement at one of Ozamiz City’s secondary public schools. In order to close this knowledge gap, the researcher would like to introduce a Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy into the physics curriculum at a particular private school in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, the Philippines. This will raise the students’ understanding of projectile motion.

Intervention

Cooperative learning is a well-structured and carefully planned learning strategy, used to facilitate a sustained learning group with interdependent members working towards a specific academic goal under guidance. This strategy is extensively used in high schools, contributing to most of the published literature (Jeppu et al., 2023).

Cooperative learning is one of the educational methodologies used in the classroom that is regarded a success. This strategy has been employed more frequently in a conventional classroom setting to improve students’ learning in the learning process (Siegel, 2005). Collaborative learning (CL) refers to instructional arrangements in which two or more students work collaboratively to achieve a common learning goal (Asterhan & Schwarz, 2016).

The Given, Required, Evaluate, solution, Answer cooperative leaning strategy is a dynamic and collaborative teaching approach where students can solve the problem solving by the assistance of instructors and students in improving their performance during the physics teaching and learning process. Learning activities are teaching activities carried out by students with professors in class. In the context of college, learning activities are learning interactions that occur between students and lecturers during the learning process (Darma et al., 2020).

During student collaboration, opportunities arise for students to engage in collaborative activities that support their learning process. The way teachers take more or less control of these moments determines whether these opportunities can be turned into real moments of learning for the students (Van Leeuwen & Janssen, 2019). Discovering methods to incorporate games or game principles into the classroom may be a promising and inventive technique for educators to use in engaging their pupils in creative learning skills and engaging competition (Zainuddin et. al, 2020).

The contact between the student and the lecturer throughout the learning process leads to student learning activity. Learning activities at universities use various methodologies or models for each degree of education and each stage of the learning process (Tanuwijaya & Tambunan, 2021). The technique or model of learning is one of the lecturer’s assets in increasing a student’s learning activity during the learning process (Pritandhari, 2018).

Through a discussion, students develop their ability to examine problems, exchange ideas, identify distinctions, and create new conceptual frameworks and methods of thinking (Molla& Muche, 2018). The aim of the current study was to find out how cooperative learning affected students’ physics achievement. Cooperative learning in this context refers to working and learning in groups and basing outcomes on group output. G. R. E. S. A cooperative learning strategy is one type of cooperative learning that emphasizes the special structure designed to influence the pattern of students’ interaction, and its goal is to improve academic mastery so that it can develop and increase students’ retention.

Steps on how in implementing the G. R. E. S. A. Cooperative Learning Strategy:

The G. R. E. S. A cooperative learning strategy involves several steps to promote collaborative learning in a classroom setting: (1) To implement this strategy, first, divide the class into groups, 3-5 groups, (2) Explain the task or assignment to the entire class, ensuring clarity on what needs to be accomplished, (3) Allow time for group members to discuss the assignment among themselves. During this phase, students share their ideas, perspectives, and insights related to the task at hand. Encourage active participation and collaboration within each group, (4) They will locate the given in the circumstance that is needed to solve the issue. After finishing the task of writing what was given on the board, they will write it in the tagboard, provide the solution, and assess which response is accurate. (5) They are going to quickly raise the tagboard after the group discussion. This guarantees that each group member is actively participating in the learning process and promotes personal accountability.

The Given, Required, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy encourages active participation, peer interaction, and a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, making it an effective method to cater to diverse learning styles and promote collaborative learning in the classroom. Regular assessment and feedback help fine-tune the strategy for optimal learning outcomes.

Action Research Questions

This action research aimed to enhance the collaboration of students in science.

Specifically, this study will seek to answer the following research questions:

1. What is the students’ collaboration before the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy?
2. What is the students’ collaboration before the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy?
3. Is there a significant difference in the students’ collaboration before and after the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy?
4. What other developments are observed among the students after the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy?

Action Research Questions

Research Design

The study used action research by design. Action research is a form of investigation designed for use by teachers to attempt to solve problems and improve professional practices on their own (Zuber-Skerritt, 2021). As a method of organizational development and improvement, Action Research is a method of systematic inquiry that teachers undertake as researchers of their practice (Whitehead, 2020). This action research design is deemed appropriate as it aimed to implement the Given, Required, Evulate,  Solution, Answer, cooperative learning in teaching physics to enhancing the levels of understanding of projectile motion in grade 9 learners through interactive problem-solving.

This approach permits teachers to investigate their own practice and to discover what will and will not work for their students in their classrooms. The main goal of action research is to address local-level problems in practice with the anticipation of finding immediate answers to questions or solutions to those problems (Mertler, 2018).

Site

The study was conducted at the junior high school, specifically focusing on Grade 9 students, in Ozamiz City. The school covers Grades 7 to 12 and provides various curricula, including Regular, Special Science, Arts Program, Technology Vocational Education, and Open High School. Known for its commitment to providing accessible and quality education, the school is dedicated to serving the local community.

Participants

The participants of the study were 33 grade 9 students at a particular school in Ozamiz City. The participants will be selected using purposive sampling. The selection of the participants will be based on the following criteria: 1.) Students who are enrolled at a certain fourth quarter in Ozamiz City as grade 9 students for the academic year 2023-2024; 2.) Students who are observed to have low performance in science; 3.) Students who gave their full consent to serve as respondents of the study; (4). Only students from the Sonnet section were chosen because the researcher teaches in this section.

The researcher checked that all these conditions would be met before conducting the survey. However, the implementation was not used by the researchers to grade 7, 8, or 10. Since the suggested use of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy is limited to grade 9 students.

Data Gathering Methods

This action research will gather quantitative. The student’s performance in science among grade 9 learners will be assessed using a researcher-made instrument such as test questions.

Pre-Implementation Phase

Prior to performing the study, professional standards should be followed, and college/university clearance on campus should be obtained through the IRB, as well as local consent from the location and participants. Respecting the site and disrupting it, avoiding misleading respondents, describing the aim of the research and how the data will be used, and adhering to the procedure are all significant while collecting data (Creswell, 2014).

In gathering the data, the researcher sought authorization from Misamis University’s College of Education and Junior High School Department to perform the study. After receiving approval, the researcher approached the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) for permission to conduct the survey among the chosen respondents. The researcher developed a consent letter for the respondents after obtaining the licenses. To diagnose students’ mastery and understanding on the concept of evolution, a pre-test will be conducted. At this stage, assessments and activities will be created based on the teachers’ carefully designed lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations. Face to face platform will be used in conducting of research most specifically in the data collection and employment of intervention.

Implementation Phase

The implementation stage included the data collection will occur, encompassing the administration of a pre-test to gather baseline information from the participants. The researcher will then actively apply the designated strategy to the respondents within a specified timeframe. Continuous monitoring of participants’ performance will take place throughout this period, followed by a post-test assessment. Subsequently, data analysis will be conducted, enabling the researcher to assess the is significantly effective or not.

Post-Implementation Phase

The post-implementation stage includes the drawing of a conclusion, giving recommendations, proofreading, editing, and finalization of the research study. It also involves proper dissemination of the research result to a certain group of people.

Ethical Issues

The protection of human subjects through the application of appropriate ethical principles is important in all research studies. In a qualitative study, ethical considerations have a particular resonance due to the in-depth nature of the study process (Arifin, 2018).

The participants received letters requesting their permission to take part in the study. The anonymity and confidentiality of the participants were preserved by not revealing their names and identities in the data collection, analysis, and reporting of the study findings. The participants will be informed of their nature of participation in the study and will be requested to sign an informed consent. All data will be handled with confidentiality. Participants’ identities will not in any way be reflected in the paper.  Students’ participation in this research project is invitational. Parents’ and students’ consent will be sought. Interested participants will be asked to sign consent forms. Consent forms will specify the nature of the student’s participation and that they can discontinue their participation in the research at any rate. The location and time of the interview should be chosen to be convenient for the participants (Amdur & Bankert, 2011).

Confidentiality and anonymity will be observed in the study by not mentioning the school and participant/respondent identity in any part of the paper. Copyright issues will also be resolved by citing the works of the original authors in the final report. Finally, the final report will be subjected to a plagiarism test before submission and publication of the output. The researcher aims to consider the 95 percent originality level of the paper before submission to the funding agency.

Data Analysis Plan

With the use of Mini tab software, the following tools were utilized:

Mean and Standard Deviation were used to determine the level of understanding of the learners before and after the implementation of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy. T-Test was used to explore the significant difference in the level of understanding of the learners before and after the implementation of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy.

Thematic Analysis was used to explore other improvements observed among the students after the implementation of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy with the aid of HyperResearch.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Students’ Collaboration Before the Implementation of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer Cooperative learning Strategy

Table 1 presents the collaboration levels of students before the implementation of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative Learning Strategy. The overall findings indicate that most students needed to meet the expectations. Specifically, 33 students (100.00%) did not meet the expectations (M =23.923; SD =0.760).

The data unequivocally demonstrates that student participation was well below expectations before adopting the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy. Since all of the students (100%) fell into the “Did Not Meet the Expectations” category, it is clear that there was widespread difficulty with learning or remembering the content. The task’s difficulty was demonstrated by the mean score of 23.923, far lower than the lowest acceptable criterion of 17. Even though all students performed below expectations, some were closer to the cutoff than others, as seen by the relatively large standard deviation of 0.760, which points to some variation in the results.

The results indicate that most student participation fell into the Very Satisfactory category before implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning approach. However, as 33.33% of students in the lowest category demonstrated, a sizable minority of pupils could not interact at the desired levels. This distribution shows a significant variation in the students’ cooperation skills; the overall mean score suggests that most students fell between the Satisfactory and Fairly Satisfactory categories.Student collaboration is a crucial aspect of education, as Rono et al. (2014) noted. It is one of the main objectives of education, defined as the knowledge that students acquire and how teachers evaluate it through grades, as well as the educational goals that students and teachers set and work toward over a given period (Narad & Abdullah, 2016). The main criterion that has determined whether or not students can pursue further education has been their academic achievement throughout time. Understanding how students behave in educational settings will help the student see how the university’s policies and procedures were followed.

Therefore, it might be useful for educators and academic supervisors to develop pedagogical practices that enhance students’ learning experiences (Delfino, A.P. 2019). Additionally, instructors must be mindful of the tactics they employ in the classroom to attain learning goals since the utilization of effective teaching strategies and resources affects students’ motivation to learn (Dwinalida & Setiaji, 2020).

The present research on teacher cooperation focuses on cooperative tactics that raise student accomplishment. Specialists are those who have a thorough awareness of the learning preferences of their pupils (Goddard & Goddard, 2010). When there is effective collaboration, the sharing of educators’ knowledge and experience improves education. Teachers with diverse backgrounds collaborate to enhance student learning, which is the most effective way to increase student achievement (Williams, 2010). A review of pertinent research suggests that teacher collaboration can significantly enhance instructor and student learning (Williams, 2010). Professional collaboration among educators improves their pedagogies, subject matter, and distinctive experiences (Goddard & Goddard, 2007).

Regular evaluations of student participation and individualized comments help identify shortcomings. Group projects, peer mentorship, and reflective teamwork can foster increased collaboration. Concentrating on these areas while implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique is anticipated to improve student collaboration.

Table 1: Students’ Collaboration After the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy

(Note Scale: 26-30(Outstanding); 23-25 (Very Satisfactory); 21-22 (Satisfactory); 18-20 (Faily Satisfactory); 1-17 Did not Meet the Expectations)

Students’ Collaboration After the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy

Table 2 presents the collaboration levels of students after the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. Cooperative Learning Strategy. The students’ overall performance improved significantly (M = 24.879; SD =3.498).

A total of thirty-three students, or 100%, demonstrated overall knowledge, suggesting that the Given, Required, Evaluated Solutions, and answers compared to the prior data when no students fell into this category, a cooperative learning technique was much more beneficial in enhancing their comprehension and knowledge of science. Furthermore, 30.30% of pupils fell into the Very Satisfactory group, which is still a highly favorable performance measure. At 12.12%, the shares in the Satisfactory and Fairly Satisfactory categories were lower. Crucially, there were no pupils in the “Did Not Meet Expectations” group, indicating a general improvement in teamwork abilities.

The results of this study suggest that the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning approach has successfully enhanced student cooperation. This improvement shows that the collaborative learning approach effectively filled prior cooperation skills deficits among students.

Students’ motivation was predicted to rise due to cooperative learning, which involves learning in small groups and its relationships, positive reliance, individual accountability, face-to-face engagement, and cooperation. Students are more motivated because of the sense of community and mutual support among participants in cooperative learning (Abidin et al., 2019). Student collaboration creates opportunities for students to participate in cooperative activities that improve their learning. How instructors handle these opportunities will determine if they can become real learning opportunities for students (Leeuwen & Janseen, 2019).

Educators and administrators should support and improve the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique to preserve and further build upon these advantages. Regular training and professional development on these strategies might increase the efficacy of cooperative learning. High-performance levels can also be maintained by including regular evaluations to track and offer feedback on student collaboration.

The curriculum should always include activities like peer teaching, group projects, and group debates to encourage cooperation and communication skills. By keeping cooperative learning front and center, students are expected to continue to grow as collaborators and achieve better social and academic results.

Table 2: Students’ Collaboration After the implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. cooperative learning strategy (n=33).

(Note Scale: 26-30(Outstanding); 23-25 (Very Satisfactory); 21-22 (Satisfactory); 18-20 (Faily Satisfactory); 1-17 Did not Meet the Expectations)

Significant Difference in the Collaboration of the Students Before and After the Implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. Cooperative Learning Strategy

Table 3 presents the significant difference in students’ collaboration before and after implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solutions, and Answer cooperative learning strategy. The analysis revealed that the difference showed that students’ collaborative skills were significantly enhanced (t = 22.00; p =0.00).

The students’ mean score was 19.818 before using the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning approach. Nevertheless, the mean score rose to 24.879 following using the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique. The t-value of 22.00 and p-value of 0.00 show a statistically significant difference in the mean scores. It shows the likelihood of discovering a very big difference. According to these findings, the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy significantly improves student learning outcomes and encourages collaboration.

The Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning technique has greatly improved student collaboration, which has critical ramifications for teachers and school administrators. These findings firmly support using interactive simulations in the curriculum to enhance student comprehension and recall of the subject matter.

Engaging students may improve their grades and other academic measures, such as critical thinking, and they can also apply what they have learned to real-world circumstances. Next, it is a barometer for active learning in online courses and the teaching standard (Nortvig et al., 2018). As a global educational movement, cooperative learning has gained prominence recently. Learner-centered ones have superseded teacher-centered tactics. One technique that is suggested for teaching writing is CL (Ansari & Khan, 2020).

To build on this achievement, teachers and administrators should keep using and improving the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique. Facilitating collaborative learning tactics will be made easier for educators by regular professional development courses concentrating on this subject. Sustained development in student collaboration should also be ensured by ongoing observation and evaluation. Peer evaluations, cooperative projects, and organized group work should be incorporated into the curriculum to fill gaps. These exercises will allow students to hone and improve their teamwork abilities. Moreover, giving students comments on their group projects will enable them to see their areas of strength and growth, which will further develop their collaborative skills.

Educational institutions may expand upon and maintain the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique to create a more supportive and collaborative learning environment and improve student results in the classroom.

Table 3: Significant Difference in the Students’ Collaboration Before and After the Implementation of the G. R. E. S. A. Cooperative Learning Strategy.

Ho: There is no significant difference in the understanding of learners before and after the implementation of G. R. E. S. A cooperative learning strategy.

Note: Probability Value Scale: **p<0.01 (Highly Significant); *p<0.05 (Significant); p>0.05 (Not Significant)

Other Developments Observed Among the Students’ After the Implementation of G. R. E. S. A Cooperative Learning Strategy

The study examined the unique impacts of putting the Given, Required, Evaluated, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique into practice. Study participants shared their experiences and sentiments regarding applying this learning approach. The researcher used their responses to categorize the eight participants’ replies and examined the data for significant significance and emerging patterns. The study highlights three emerging themes that shed light on the experiences and emotions of the participants when implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning strategy. These themes include 1) Concept building, 2) Improving academic performance to gain more knowledge in science subjects, and 3) Strengthening self-directed learning.

Building concepts

The phrase “building concepts in the implementation of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy” describes a teaching style in which students collaborate in groups to find solutions to problems or provide answers to questions. It includes a competitive component where teams pit themselves against one another to show how well-versed they are in a certain subject or area. The participants’ responses demonstrate the following:

“Based on my experience, the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solutions, and Answer cooperative learning approach improved my comprehension of scientific ideas. Collaborating in groups encouraged students to participate fully and more deeply in-class activities. Collaborative problem-solving and peer debates enhanced our critical thinking abilities. Teaching colleagues helped us understand difficult subjects and validated our expertise. Overall, this was a worthwhile and productive learning experience (P4).

More cooperative and engaged student groups solved issues more successfully as a team (Helen & Arnold, 2018).        Students who support one another build a cooperative society that improves performance for all members (Chen, 2018). In order to increase student participation, it is necessary to establish a supportive learning environment, communicate, use active learning techniques, promote collaboration, personalize instruction, act as an engaging facilitator, encourage critical thinking and questioning, develop relationships with students, and connect with them. By implementing these ideas, teachers may enable students to participate actively in their education. These will increase student engagement, foster a better knowledge of the material, and improve academic performance overall.

Unlike traditional group instruction, cooperative learning is seen as a special sort of small-group education (Kagan & Kagan, 2009; Schmalenbach, 2018). This suggests that cooperative learning integrates active learning with social learning through peer interaction in small groups, working on academic difficulties (Davidson & Major, 2014). Research has shown that a few factors regulate the effectiveness of cooperative learning. These factors include positive interdependence, individual accountability, interaction promotion, interpersonal and small-group skills, and group processing.

Improved Academic performance to Learn More in Science Subjects

Using the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer approach, cooperative learning strategies are dynamic tools that improve comprehension and pique students’ interest in science. It encourages children to study actively since they must apply what they have learned, exercise critical thought, and collaborate well with others. This active engagement allows learners to understand scientific concepts and principles better. This is emphasized in the responses of the participants below:

“When Given, Required, Evaluate, Solutions, and Answer cooperative learning strategy was implemented, my academic performance improved. We understood complex concepts more easily. Our grades increased significantly across subjects. Collaborative learning boosted our engagement and interest. Overall, the Given, Required, Evaluating, Solutions, and Answer cooperative learning strategy positively impacted our academic achievements.” (P8)

Cooperative learning has several advantages. Compared to competitive or individualistic learning, collaborative learning helps pupils do better academically, builds amicable relationships between students, and provides chances for social and cognitive skill development. According to Doris and Harcourt’s (2019) study, cooperative learning has been linked to favorable attitudes toward teachers, enhanced achievement, retention, pleasant connections, and self-esteem.Since collaborative learning and involvement with social variables enhance students’ learning activities, higher education institutions should encourage their use in teaching and learning. This impacts students’ academic progress (Qureshi et al., 2021).

Retention is the ability to remember material from a class. Science lessons are easier to understand and retain if the proper teaching resources are used. For this reason, educators need to consider how best to include students in discussions to guarantee complete material retention.  interests in the geometry component and their family history impact how well they learn geometry. Furthermore, the teaching experiment’s outcomes show that student-based learning strategies outperform traditional geometry teaching techniques (Juman et al., 2022).

Enhancing Self-directed Learning

Implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solutions, and Answer cooperative learning strategy is more than just an educational tool; it represents a gateway to self-directed learning for students by providing dynamic, hands-on experiences. This interactive approach fosters curiosity, encourages exploration, and allows students to delve deeply into scientific concepts at their own pace. The answers of participants support this:

“Based on my experiences, the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solutions, and Answer cooperative learning strategy significantly enhanced my abilities and talents. It boosted our critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Collaborating with peers improved our communication and teamwork abilities. The strategy also increased our confidence in sharing.” (P3)

Self-directed learning is the process by which people take charge of their education. Individuals can decide what learning objectives are worthwhile (Loeng, 2020). Students are encouraged to investigate the simulations independently, asking open-ended questions or exploring them without supervision, to obtain firsthand knowledge of the phenomena through inquiry (Adams, 2010).

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

The study aimed to improve science collaboration among grade 9 students in a particular secondary public school in Ozamiz City using the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique throughout the academic year 2023–2024. A classroom-based action research approach was employed in the study, and 33 students were chosen via purposive sampling. Data were collected via a test created by the researcher, and analytic procedures included t-testing and calculating the mean and standard deviation. The study aimed to ascertain students’ collaboration level before implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique. Once the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy has been implemented, (2) ascertain how well the students collaborate; (3) establish whether there are any notable differences between the pre-and post-implementation collaboration levels of the students; and (4) investigate any additional observed student developments prior to and following the given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy.

Findings

The primary conclusions of the investigation were as follows:

1. Most student participation fell short of expectations Before implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning model.
2. The students’ cooperation was highly satisfactory after adopting the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique.
3. According to the study, there was a notable change in how students collaborated before the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique was implemented.
4. Several student advancements were noted After implementing the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning approach. The approach improved self-directed learning, strengthened scientific concepts, and raised motivation to study additional science-related material.

Conclusions

Based on the findings, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. The students needed more academic collaboration Before implementing the Given, Required, Evaluated, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy. This is a cooperative education approach.
2. Adopting the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning approach significantly improved pupils’ cooperation. Their performance fell into the “Outstanding” level, suggesting that the method improved their learning objectives.
3. The success of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique in improving students’ learning and academic accomplishment is demonstrated by the notable change in the students’ collaboration before and after the strategy was implemented.
4. After the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique was implemented, increases in academic collaboration were not the only positive changes observed. Other positive changes included improved critical thinking abilities, greater confidence, teamwork, and higher student involvement.

Recommendations

1. Educators and educational institutions can consider including the Given, Required, Evaluated, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning process in their regular lesson plans to enhance scientific problem-solving.
2. Provide educators with professional development opportunities and instruction on how to apply the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning approach. These will guarantee they can effectively teach the method and optimize its advantages for pupils.
3. Increase the number of group activities and cooperative learning techniques, such as the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer, in scientific curriculum development to foster a collaborative learning environment. Students’ communication and collaborative abilities will benefit from this.
4. Future researchers should conduct ongoing studies to determine the long-term impacts of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique on student collaboration. In order to assess the strategy’s generalization and pinpoint any contextual elements that can affect its efficacy, they should also investigate how the method works with a range of student demographics and in different educational environments.

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