The Effect of Cooperative Learning Groups on the Academic Achievement of Seventh Grade Mathematics Students

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to study the impact of varying amounts of cooperative learning on the academic achievement of three classes of seventh grade mathematics students who ranged in age from 12 to 14. One class was instructed using a cooperative learning method while a second class was instructed in the traditional method. A third class received a combination of the two treatments. A pre-test was administered to determine if there was any significant difference in the three classes. Likewise, a post-test followed the period of instruction to determine if any significant difference in academic achievement was made because of the varying amounts of cooperative learning. The findings revealed that the amount of cooperative learning made no significant difference in the academic achievement of the three classes. However, gain analyses showed that that all three improved significantly from the pre-test to the post-test.