The double-edged prospects of peer-to-peer cooperative learning in Ethiopian secondary schools (original) (raw)
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The Roles of a Peer-Led Collaborative Learning Approach in Ethiopian Secondary Schools
Cooperative learning; collaborative learning, peer-led learning, one-to-five, 2018
One of the 4Cs school's core competencies in the 21st century is a collaborative learning with a heightened reputation that enables learners to become competent in the global economy. More than a decade ago, along with this growing concern, peer-led collaborative learning (PLCL) approach has been adopted and stuck into Ethiopian educational systems. By following these actions, there are certain attempts to understand the practices of PLCL in educational settings, however, there are no more studies regarding the role of PLCL for secondary school students. This study is, therefore, intended to examine the hands-on roles of PLCL for secondary school students. The participants in this study were 991 students that were recruited from six public secondary schools via stratified random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and focus group discussions whereas analyses were made using descriptive statistical methods and narrative description of data. The findings show that hypothetically the roles of PLCL for secondary school students are considered to be academic, psychosocial and economic. Ironically the approach by far rewards group leaders to do all activities that would be done by each of the group members increases the dependency of middle and low achiever students and becomes a milieu of sexual harassment mainly for female students. Acknowledging more research findings would be warranted, we suggest that the practice of PLCL ought to be arranged towards subject specific task orientation and the quality of mentoring processes should be restructured in the form of more supportive, participative and cooperative ways.
Education Research International
The purpose of this study was to analyze the roles of instructors and students to implement cooperative learning in eastern Ethiopian higher learning institutions. Using a survey design, purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 1244 respondents (students, instructors, college deans, department heads, and cooperative learning coordinators) from three universities. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The mean, standard deviation, and ANOVA were used for analysis of the data. The results revealed that instructors were not acting as facilitators and were not offering guidance on how students should collaborate. Almost every instructor placed an emphasis on the lecture method. As evidenced by the data, the majority of instructors have a solid understanding of cooperative learning. However, owing to heavy workloads, large class sizes, and other factors, cooperative learning was not implemented adequately. Students failed t...
2015
The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of teachers and students towards cooperative learning and thereby to examine the benefits of this method to students with special needs. To this end, a descriptive survey design was selected and the research employed various data collection methodologies and processed both primary and secondary data sources using quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques. The study was conducted among grade eight teachers and students. Eight primary schools found in bole sub city of Addis Ababa were randomly selected out of sixteen primary schools found in the sub city. A total of randomly selected 146 respondents (i.e. 66 teachers and 80 students) participated in the study by filling in the questionnaire prepared for data collection. In addition, classroom observation was conducted and interviews with students with special needs were held. The data collected was analyzed using frequency distribution, weighted mean and percentag...
The Practices, Challenges and Opportunities of Cooperative Learning at Hawassa University-Ethiopia
2019
This research was meant to investigate the practices, challenges and opportunities of cooperative learning with reference to Hawassa University, Ethiopia. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, a descriptive research design was used. A total of 240 instructors were randomly selected from all departments of the university. The instructors were made to fill in a close-ended questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview was held with 15 instructors randomly selected from those who had already filled in the questionnaire. Data obtained through the questionnaire were analyzed by using different types of descriptive statistics, and data collected through the interview were analyzed qualitatively by categorizing similar responses together in themes and the results were discussed by quoting some utmost responses directly. The results of the questionnaire and that of the interview were triangulated. Thus, this research employed a mixed-methods approach. The findings revealed that ...
Students' Perceptions of the Academic and Social Benefits of Working with Cooperative Learning
Objective-Traditional teaching methods are no longer enough to prepare students to face the challenges and changes of an international society and to gain the skills needed for the contemporary labour market. Therefore, there is a need to implement alternative teaching methods in Saudi schools, such as cooperative learning to help learners gain personal and social skills and improve their learning. This study investigated Saudi high school learners' perceptions of cooperative learning based on its five principles (Johnson & Johnson, 2014), and the benefits of working cooperatively in class. Methodology/Technique-97 students were involved in this study in one all-male high school in Saudi Arabia. Mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) were used to collect the data, using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews respectively. Findings-The findings suggest that students seem to prefer to use cooperative learning instead of lecture-style mostly due to the perceived academic benefits it generates, among which were increased motivation, enhanced autonomy and responsibility towards learning, gaining thinking and problem solving skills, higher levels of understanding and long-term retention. Students also seem to agree that adopting the cooperative learning principles leads to social benefits such an enjoyment in learning, reduction in anxiety, increased confidence, and positive relationships among students. Novelty-This paper has discovered and recommended that cooperative learning should be considered for implementation in Saudi schools instead of lecture-style in order to benefit students academically and socially.
Journal of Education and Practice, 2015
Peer learning plays an important role in changing teaching learning environment for betterment of learners and their academic achievements. Due to the limitations of conventional approaches such as lecturing, which give too much chance for teacher to talk, peer learning is among the most well researched of all teaching strategies for maximizing their own learning and the academic accomplishments for their classmates. The objective of this study was to examine the attitude students and investigate the determinants that influence students’ attitude toward peer learning. To conduct the study, descriptive survey design was employed. Qualitative approach using observation checklists and interviews for data gathering were employed for non-respondent samples. Upon stratifying all faculties into three categories of educational streams, a total of 81 second year students were randomly selected after applying Probability Proportionate to Sample Size (PPS). Quantitative data were analyzed usin...
Education Sciences, 2021
A growing body of research indicates that teaching is the most important determinant of student learning in higher education (HE). However, HE teachers have a persistent challenge to transform pedagogical practices from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach. In this study, the authors employed a phenomenological-case study design to examine the teachers’ lived experiences with cooperative learning (CL) pedagogies as applied in the undergraduates’ classrooms in a large public university in Ethiopia. The authors collected the relevant data from two teacher participants through both reflection and a semi-structured interview, along with document analysis of course-related material. The teacher participants felt that their involvement in the CL lessons gave them insight to understand strategies used to implement CL and practical learning opportunities on how to use it as one variant of student-centered teaching methods. As the teacher interviewees suggested, the CL lessons h...
This study assessed the effectiveness of the utilization of Cooperative Learning (CL) in Secondary Social Studies instruction, in Zone 2, Department of Education, Division of Zambalesduring the 3rd quarter of the school year 2018-2019. A descriptive research design and survey questionnaire were the main data-gathering instruments.The researcher concluded that the teacher-respondents are female, in their early adulthood, specializing in Social Studies, Teacher I, holders of Bachelor Degrees with Master's units, quite new in the teaching profession and have attended few seminars.The level of performance of high school students in Social Studies using Cooperative Learning Methods and Activities improved from Pre-Test which is Approaching Proficiency to Proficient in the Post Test, increased chances for students' conflict, noise and limited techniques in maintaining students' motivation were the challenges sometimes encountered when cooperative learning was utilized in teaching Social Studies lesson and contents.There is a significant difference in the perceived effectiveness of cooperative learning to students of the elements of Individual Accountability, Small Group and Interpersonal Skills, and Group Processing when attributed to teachers' age. There are no significant differences in the perceived effectiveness of cooperative learning to students for Face to Face Interaction when attributed to teachers' profile and the perception of the extent of occurrence of problems/challenges in the utilization of cooperative learning when grouped according to teachers' profile variables, and there is a highly significant difference on the result of pre-test and a post-test score of the high school students in Social Studies using cooperative learning method and learning activities was established. Teachers may plan ahead cooperative learning activities and tasks in which students work together on specific roles and materials (Positive Interdependence); learn how to strengthen communication skills (Individual Accountability); encourage each other to learn and perform the task (Face to Face Interaction); develop more sensitivity and appreciate with others (Small Group and Interpersonal Skills), and reflect on the feedback they receive (Group Processing).
Education Sciences
Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. To that end, this study examined the state of applications of cooperative learning and student diversity in polytechnic colleges in southwest Ethiopia. A qualitative research methodology, specifically grounded theory design was employed to achieve the research purpose. The empirical data was gathered from 20 educational officials through in-depth interviews at sample polytechnic colleges. Student diversity found to have a significant influence on how cooperative learning is implemented. It has also been found that the perception of department heads towards diversity has a significant influence on the application of cooperative learning. The study’s findings also showed that managing diversity among students and interacting with peers within groups and from other groups has a positive influence on cooperative learning. In conclusion, the application of cooper...
2019
Mathematics instruction would be more effective if students were able to help each other and exchange information actively. This can effectively be done when students are engaged in cooperative learning. The study was intended to analyse the extent to which mathematics education is supplemented with cooperative learning in Grade 9 of Secondary Schools in Alamata and Korem, Tigray. In order to address the research objectives, mixed methods design was employed. Questionnaires, interview and classroom observation were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of 15 teachers and 322 students. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study revealed that the extent of practicing cooperative learning methods was not up to the expected level. The attitude of teachers toward using cooperative learning methods was favourable and yet, teachers' action in dealing with the basic components of cooperative learning was not promising. The findings showed that the major factors that inhibit the implementation of cooperative learning were lack of adequate training, lack of classroom facilities, lack of administrative support, lack of time, dependency of slow learners on more able learners, and traditional teaching methods. It is suggested that teachers should take basic training about the use and deliberation of cooperative learning as one of innovative teaching methods of mathematics education and as a means to realize their commitment.