GROUP LEARNING METHOD AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS

GROUP LEARNING METHOD AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page

Title Page

Certification

Dedication

Acknowledgment

Table of Contents

Abstract

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background to the Study

1.2    Statement of the Problem

1.3    Statement of Purpose

1.4    Significance of the Study

1.5    Justification of the Study

1.6    Broad Objective

1.7    Specific Objectives

1.8    Research Questions

1.9    Research Hypotheses

1.10  Operational Definitions

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1    Area of the Study

3.2    Study Design

3.3    Population of the Study

3.4    Sample

3.4    Instrumentation

3.5    Method of Validating Instrument

3.6    Reliability of the Instrument

3.7    Method of Data Collection

3.8    Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1    Introduction

4.2    Presentation of Data

4.3    Test of Hypotheses

4.4    Discussion of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1    Introduction

5.2    Summary

5.3    Conclusion

5.4    Recommendations

References

Appendices

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background to the Study

Indeed, the quest for quality in education in nations throughout the world is the foundation for qualitative development. Moreover, the quality, philosophy and principles have become central to international educational reforms as every nation seeks quality products and services through educational renewal and school instruction (Caldwell, 1985 in Akpan Uwandu & Ekanem (2013). Hence, this has given rise to the experimentation of several teaching and learning strategies which are aimed at improving academic performance of the students in terms of their ability to contribute meaningfully to the economy of their nations.

However, educators have evolved some strategies which can help the students to construct knowledge. These strategies may not be used independent of the teacher thus it can be combined with any teaching method to attain stated objectives. Some of these strategies include Team Teaching, Concept Mapping, Co-operative Learning, Peer Tutoring, etc. They have been employed in different subject areas and to diverse set of students with varied outcomes.

In brief, group learning is one of the strategies of learning, which are students centered and aimed at making the students use their abilities to construct knowledge.  To cooperate simply means working together towards achieving the same aim or goals for common interest.

Group therefore pictures  ones willingness to assist or help in solving problems in a joint effort often time the teaching/learning system has been seen to be one sided on the grounds that only the teachers do the talking while learners sit and listen.

In addition, according to Akpan (2008), activity based method of teaching are the best in getting individual learners into active participation with classroom situation.

Furthermore, the fact that some learners are faster than others makes learning in the general or conventional classroom to suffer some setbacks. Therefore, to carry everyone along the teacher must often time share learners into groups to work together on a given learning material to achieve a common goal. This is referred to as group learning. For learning to be effective in these groups, some strategies must be put in place by the teacher who will act as the supervisor.

1.2    Statement of the Problem 

According to several researchers like Hardner (2014), Noah (2015) most people blame teachers, their qualification, their experiences, limited available resources, method of lesson delivery, lack of student’s concentration amongst others.

However, government over the years has trained and re-trained government teachers, provided space and some materials for Government, review the curriculum and enforced students discipline but with limited improvement in academic performance and utilization of this material development.

Therefore, the quest for answer to the above question triggers the researcher’s interest to investigate into the influence of group learning on the academic achievement of students in Government in secondary schools with a view of proffering a lasting solution to the problem.

1.3    Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to investigate group learning method and academic achievement of students in Government in Abak Local Government Area. Specifically the objectives of the study are:

• To examine the differences in the academic achievement of students between those exposed to group learning and those exposed to individual learning.
• Investigate the influence of group learning on academic achievement of male and female students.

1.4    Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to student’s teachers, parents and the general public in the following ways:

• Students will become hard working wherever they find themselves so as to learn properly at all times;
• Also, parents will understand that there are factors that can hinder their wards from performing better.
• Teachers will always be conscious of individuals’ abilities before sharing them to work groups.
• This research finding will serve as reference material for further relevant researches in the area.

1.5 Research Questions

1. To what extent does the academic achievement of students differs between those exposed to group learning and those exposed to individual learning?
2. To what extent does the academic achievement of male and female students differs when exposed to group learning?

1.6    Research Hypotheses   

Ho1: There is no significant difference in academic achievement of students who adopt group learning and those who adopt individual learn

Ho2: There is no significant difference in academic achievement of male and female students exposed to group learning.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

Some of the challenges encounter in the course of this study is as follows:

1. Time constraint: time duration allowed for the completion of this research work could not be enough for the research to have a wider scope. Hence some schools were sampled and student out of all the schools in the area.
2. Financial problem: this constituted one of the major limitations to the researcher especially as the researcher had to source for relevant materials on the topic and visit the sampled schools under the investigation for data collection.
3. Insufficient references materials: this also was a problem as the researcher needed enough relevant literature on the topic.

1.8    Delimitation of the Study

This research work was restricted to group learning and academic achievement of students in secondary schools in the study area.

1.8    Definition of Terms

The following key concepts were defined as used in the study:

Group Learning: This is the learning together in a small group of five or less than five.

Individual Learning: In brief, this is a learning method which the students are allowed to learn individually.

Academic Achievement: In brief, this is the score of students in Examinations or test.

Government: refers to the subject taught in schools for the purpose of making the learners understand their citizen right and obligations.

CONCLUSION

Since this work was undertaken to examine group learning method and academic achievement of students in Government in secondary schools. It has been revealed that group learning method has been one among the most effective learning methods that allow interaction as well as sharing of ideas and facts between learners in our educational system.

Group learning method will be effective when the teachers are involved and see planning as the brain behind the success. The academic achievement of students who learn Government using group learning method is higher than the academic achievement of students who learn using individual learning method and that there is no significant difference in the academic achievement of male and female students who learn using group learning method were facts arrived at as a result of analyzing the research hypotheses formulated for the study.

Joselyn Nya

My Name is Joselyn Nya
A Publisher in Project Boss Team.

I’m a Nigerian

I’m a graduate/Educational Researcher.
Project Boss Team. We are the best for Project materials and project writing services. Email: admin@projectboss.com.ng