Effect of Cooperative Learning Strategy on Students’ Achievement in Secondary
School Chemistry.
The study investigated the effect of cooperative learning strategy on students‟ achievement in secondary school chemistry. The design adopted for the study was quasi-experimental, precisely pretest, posttest non-equivalent control group. Two research questions guided the study while two null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. The population for the study comprised 800 SS one students who offered Chemistry in 2014/2015 academic year in Abia State, Nigeria. The sample consisted of sixty students (30 males and 30 females) drawn from the target population using simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was the chemical bonding achievement test (CAT) consisting of 25 item questions adopted from past WAEC and NECO question papers. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics while the null hypotheses tested at .05 level of significance were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Results of data analysis revealed a significant difference in the mean achievement scores of cooperative learning group and conventional lecture method in favour of cooperative group. Again, a significant difference was observed in the mean achievement scores of male and female students exposed to cooperative learning strategy and the difference was in favour of the males. It was recommended among others that teachers should embrace the use of cooperative learning in chemistry classrooms.