Exploring the Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning at Secondary Level in Bangladesh

In general, cooperative learning refers to the use of small groups of students to encourage them to work together and help each other to learn, accomplish learning goals, and increase their learning potential. This study attempts to explore the effectiveness of cooperative learning at secondary level classroom learning and students' achievement in particular. It also compares the achievements in means of scores between a student group taught using cooperative learning strategies and another group taught using non-cooperative learning strategies. This study is designed following a quasiexperimental research technique. 60 students from a secondary school of class 9 taking Science from 2 different sections were selected as samples and were divided into equal number experimental group and control group for this study. A pretest was conducted before administering the cooperative learning technique which was followed by a post-test after on to determine the effectiveness in the form of learning achievement. Students' achievements were measured through a self-constructed achievement test which was used in both the pretest and post-test. The data were analyzed through t-test using SPSS. The comparison of these results indicated a meaningful statistical difference between the two groups, and it was also found from the teachers that students who work in the cooperative learning groups were more engaged, more responsible in completing group assignments and more organized while working in their respective groups. Therefore, in order to promote quality learning, the results of this study may encourage the practice of cooperative learning for the secondary school level. To make the learning of students more enjoyable, effective, and sustained at secondary level; schools and teachers need to use the cooperative learning technique in the classrooms