Effect of Cooperative Learning on High School Students’ Performance in Economics in Ghana

Abstract

The study sought to establish the impact of cooperative learning on economics students’ performance in Senior High School in Ghana, using a quasi-experimental design that included pre-tests and post-tests. The study engaged 164 senior high school economics students (81 in the control group and 83 students in the experimental group). The study used a 50-item performance test and a 29-item perception questionnaire. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test). The study revealed that senior high school economics students positively perceived the use of cooperative learning strategies in teaching economics. It revealed that economics students in the experimental and control groups had the same level of poor performance in economics before conducting the intervention. A significant difference emerged in the post-test performance of students in the experimental group, revealing improved performance after teaching the group using cooperative learning strategies. This suggests that cooperative learning strategies significantly affected the students’ performance. The study, recommends that senior high school economics teachers need to incorporate cooperative learning strategies in teaching economics topics to improve students’ performance.