The effect of cooperative learning on the attitudes toward science and the achievement of students in a non-science majors' general biology laboratory course at an urban community college

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cooperative learning strategies on students' attitudes toward science and achievement in BSC 1005L, a non-science majors' general biology laboratory course at an urban community college. Data were gathered on the participants' attitudes toward science and cognitive biology level pre and post treatment in BSC 1005L. Elements of the Learning Together model developed by Johnson and Johnson and the Student Team-Achievement Divisions model created by Slavin were incorporated into the experimental sections of BSC 1005L.^ Four sections of BSC 1005L participated in this study. Participants were enrolled in the 1998 spring (January) term. Students met weekly in a two hour laboratory session. The treatment was administered to the experimental group over a ten week period. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used. Students in the cooperative learning group (n$\sb1$ = 27) were administered the Test of Science-Related Attitudes (TOSRA) and the cognitive biology test at the same time as the control group (n$\sb2$ = 19) (at the beginning and end of the term).^ Statistical analyses confirmed that both groups were equivalent regarding ethnicity, gender, college grade point average and number of absences. Independent sample t-tests performed on pretest mean scores indicated no significant differences in the TOSRA scale two or biology knowledge between the cooperative learning group and the control group. The scores of TOSRA scales: one, three, four, five, six, and seven were significantly lower in the cooperative learning group. Independent sample t-tests of the mean score differences did not show any significant differences in posttest attitudes toward science or biology knowledge between the two groups. Paired t-tests did not indicate any significant differences on the TOSRA or biology knowledge within the cooperative learning group. Paired t-tests did show significant differences within the control group on TOSRA scale two and biology knowledge. ANCOVAs did not indicate any significant differences on the post mean scores of the TOSRA or biology knowledge adjusted by differences in the pretest mean scores. Analysis of the research data did not show any significant correlation between attitudes toward science and biology knowledge. ^

The effects of jigsaw cooperative learning on motivation to learn English at Chung -Hwa Institute of Technology, Taiwan

The Ministry of Education (MOE) of the Republic of China in Taiwan considers English to be one of the keys to raising Taiwan's international competitiveness and requires students attending institutes of technology to receive instruction in English as a foreign language (EFL). This study focused on impacts of the use of cooperative learning as a teaching method on EFL learners. The setting was the English classes of Chung-Hwa Institute of Technology (CHIT). The subjects were 77 students from two classes, majoring in Business Administration. ^ The purpose of this study was to determine the differential effects (i.e., achievement in learning English, motivation orientation and intensity, and attitude concerning English language and culture) on students between the traditional Chinese teaching method and the Jigsaw cooperative learning method at CHIT. ^ The research design for the study was quasi-experimental and descriptive. This study utilized three survey instruments and final exam grades to investigate the effect of Jigsaw on the EFL students' competency in English, and on their attitudes about, and level of motivation toward learning English. The independent variable was the instructional method: one class utilized the Jigsaw approach to cooperative learning while the other utilized the traditional Chinese approach. The dependent variables were academic performance, motivation orientation toward English, motivation intensity toward learning English, and attitude toward learning of English and English culture as determined by final exam and questionnaire scores. The questionnaires and exam were administrated at the beginning and end of the semester. ^ Data analysis indicated that students learning cooperatively had higher final course grades and made more integrative statements on the measure of orientation toward learning English than students who learned using the traditional Chinese methods. Participants who learned using cooperative strategies had more positive attitudes about learning English connected with their desire to associate with English speakers and had more positive attitudes about the learning mechanism they experienced than those instructed though traditional Chinese learning strategies. There were no differences between the groups on the measure of motivation intensity. Recommendations were made to improve the use of the Jigsaw method of cooperative learning through both pedagogical and policy modifications. ^

The effect of different instructional groupings on student achievement and attitudes from a computer-based interactive videodisk biology unit

The purpose of this research study was to determine the effect of two different instructional groupings (cooperative and traditional whole-class) on student achievement and attitudes using a computer-based interactive videodisc biology unit. The subjects were 64 high school biology students assigned to two heterogeneous experimental groups, randomly selected from two preassigned summer school biology classes, one honors, the other regular. A two-group, posttest-only, control group experimental research design was utilized. Achievement at three cognitive levels and attitudes towards science laserdisc instruction were measured at the conclusion of the study. The cooperative group consistently outperformed the traditional group in achievement posttest scores. Factorial ANOVA on total (overall) achievement scores indicated that subjects in cooperative groups significantly outperformed those in the traditional group, and also that the instructional group, class level, and gender interacted in an ordinal fashion to make a significant difference in how female and male subjects were affected by the treatments depending on their class (aptitude) level. Regular level females and honors level males performed much better when in cooperative groups, whereas group membership did not appear to make a difference for either honors level females or regular level males. A t-test comparing honors level males revealed that cooperative groups were close to being significantly better in total achievement posttest scores than their traditional group counterparts. Factorial MANOVA comparing the instructional groups at three cognitive levels found no significant difference. Analysis on the attitudes posttest data also revealed that subjects in cooperative groups demonstrated more positive attitudes towards science laserdisc instruction; however these differences were not found to be significant. Significant interactions in attitudes of females and males from different class levels had the opposite effect as achievement: honors level females and regular level males demonstrated more positive attitudes towards science laserdisc instruction when in cooperative groups, whereas group membership did not appear to make a difference for honors level males, and regular level females demonstrated the lowest attitudes ratings of any group when involved in cooperative groups. This contrast between achievement and attitudinal results suggests cross-gender interaction in traditionally defined gender roles.