Gender Related Effects of Co-Operative Learning Strategies (Stad And Tai) on Mathematics Achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how the adoption of cooperative learning as an instructional strategy for teaching mathematics influences students’ achievement. The study also determined how moderating variables like gender affect students’ achievement in mathematics when cooperative learning is used as an instructional strategy. so, the investigators aimed at studying the effect of co-operative learning strategies i.e. team assisted individualisation (TAI) and student teams achievement division (STAD) on the mathematics achievement among ninth graders in relation to gender. This is an experimental study with 3x2 factorial designs. Students of ninth standard of the schools affiliated to Haryana Board in Rohtak city constituted the population of the study. 144 students of ninth standard ( 74 boys and 70 girls ) selected through multi-stage random sampling technique were taken as a sample for the study out of which 52 students taught through TAI formed experimental group-1 (E1 ); 46 students taught through STAD formed experimental group-2(E2) and 46 students taught through conventional method of teaching formed control group(C ). Sample of the students were also equated on the basis of socio-economic status and achievement in the subject concerned. Achievement test in mathematics developed and standardized by the investigators was used to assess the achievement of the subjects. Lesson plans, worksheets, check-outs and formative tests were developed for both the strategies TAI and STAD separately to carry out the teaching and learning process in all the three groups for ten weeks only. At the end of the experiment, achievement test in mathematics was given to the subjects. Data were analyzed by using ANOVA and t-test to determine the performance by comparing the mean scores of all the groups. Data analysis revealed that boys and girls students taught through co-operative learning strategies TAI and STAD outscored significantly the control group on post-test showing the obvious supremacy of co-operative learning over conventional method of teaching. Hence, the ultimate result of the study indicated that co-operative learning was found more effective instructional paradigm for mathematics as compared to conventional method of teaching.