Teachers’ Attitude Towards Cooperative Learning Method and Pre-School Children’s Competences Acquisition in Mathematical Concepts in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

Abstract

This research sought to establish the effect of the teacher’s attitude towards cooperative learning method (CLM) on the development of pre-schoolers’ competences acquisition in mathematical concepts. (CLM) is a teaching method in which small groups of learners with varying degrees of ability work collaboratively on carefully devised tasks using a range of learning activities designed to ensure knowledge construction and competence. A sample of 20 pre-schools out of the 197 public pre-schools in Kirinyaga County, Kenya, was applied in the study. The purpose of this study was to establish the difference between the mean score index of pre-school learners taught by teachers with favourable and unfavourable attitude towards CLM. Observation schedule and teacher questionnaire were employed in gathering the essential data. The researcher observed each of the twenty pre-school teachers facilitating 639 pre-primary two classes in the mathematical concepts’ in the real-learning mathematical activity lessons. The various levels of the teachers’ attitude towards CLM were tied to the pre-school leaners’ performance in the mathematical concepts competences. This performance was derived from the results realized from mathematical concepts competences achievement test issued to the learners. A documentary analysis guide was used to access the pre-school teachers’ professional documents to establish their level of documentation in line with CLM. Correlational and comparative research designs were applied in the study to enable the researcher to establish the contribution of the teacher’s attitude towards CLM on the pre-school learners’ mathematical concepts competences acquisition (MCCA). The qualitative data collected was thematically analysed on the basis of the study objective and presented in narrative form. The quantitative data was descriptively analysed by the use of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics was also applied in the analysis of the data collected. The focused aspects of the teacher’s attitude were; teacher documentation, participation behaviour in the learning process, supporting learners with learning provisions, engagement behaviour in CLM activities and monitoring behaviour of the learning process. The study found that there is a positive relationship between teachers’ attitude towards CLM and pre-school learners’ mathematical concepts competences acquisition (MCCA). There was an improved accomplishment among preschool learners who were taught by teachers who were favourable towards CLM than those who were taught by teachers who were unfavourable towards CLM. This finding implies that teacher attitude towards facilitating mathematical concepts competences using CLM should be cultivated in pre-school teachers in order to enhance the mathematical concepts competences acquisition of pre-school learners in Kenya. The study did the recommendation that; due to the fact that the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) does not include all there is in CLM, teachers need to be thoroughly oriented on the expected way of comprehensively incorporating the various elements of CLM for their appropriate professional practice in their mathematical concepts lesson delivery. It is only at such a point that they can blend the CLM aspects into the implementation of their lessons. Key words: Teacher Attitude; Cooperative Learning Method; Pre-school Children DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-33-05 Publication date: November 30 th 2021