Enabling lower secondary school mathematics teachers to incorporate cooperative learning strategies in their teaching
Date of Award
2013
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Education (M. Ed.)
Department
Professional Development Centre, Karachi
Abstract
The purpose of the research was to help two lower secondary school mathematics teachers incorporate cooperative learning in their teaching. This study was conducted in a private English medium school in Chitral. Collaborative action was employed for the study. Data were collected through conducting semi-structured interviews and classroom observation, writing reflections and maintaining field-notes during different action cycles of the study. Data were coded to find themes and subthemes. Furthermore, the large bulk of data were analyzed to make meaning and present findings. The findings of the study revealed that teachers need to be facilitated in forming groups, selecting appropriate content, designing cooperative learning activities, ongoing assessment and classroom management practices in order to help them implement cooperative learning in their teaching. In addition, different cycles of this action research helped teachers acquire some understanding of cooperative learning in order to engage students in mathematics in small groups. Teachers were convinced with the positive impacts of cooperative learning on students' motivation, engagement and attitudes towards mathematics. They were with the opinion that mathematical tasks demanding deep thinking should be taught through cooperative learning strategy. Teaching social skills to students is prerequisite for implementing cooperative learning sharing their mathematical thinking helps them expand their mathematical understanding in groups. According to them the selection of content and designing of activities are two important aspects which a teacher should focus during planning for cooperative learning lesson. Furthermore, engaging with cooperative learning in mathematics also enhanced teachers' motivation for teaching. Moreover, teachers' lack of lessons planning skills, isolated teaching and the existing dominant culture of conventional assessment system based on individual performances of students were some of the hindering factors found during this study.
Recommended Citation
Ahmad, A. (2013). Enabling lower secondary school mathematics teachers to incorporate cooperative learning strategies in their teaching (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.