Enhancing Students’ Academic Performance through Advance Organizers in a Cooperative Learning Classroom at a Senior High School in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

Abstract

This study was about enhancing students’ academic performance through the use of advance organisers in a cooperative learning classroom at a senior high school in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The study employed an action-research design. A General Art Form 3 class, consisting of 44 students, at Adugyama Senior High School was selected using convenience sampling. The study utilised pre- and post-tests, weekly exercises and observation checklists as sources of data. The data gathered was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study's findings revealed a significant enhancement in students’ academic performance. This improvement was attributed to the effectiveness of the instructional strategy, leading to increased skill demonstration, active student participation, improved learning and retention and an overall elevation in academic success. Based on the findings, the study recommends the integration of advance organisers in cooperative learning classrooms to improve the academic performance.