Effects of Cooperative and Competitive Learning Strategies on Students' Performance in Mathematics

Abstract

The effects of cooperative and competitive learning strategies on Students' performance in Mathematics were investigated in this study. Eighty (80) Senior Secondary II students made up of 40 males and 40 females were randomly selected from the population of a Secondary Commercial School in Uyo. These students solved mathematics problems under four conditions: cooperatively, non cooperatively, competitively and non competitively. The results of the ANOVA showed that there was a statistically significant difference in performance between cooperative and non – cooperative learning strategy groups (F (1, 76) = 71. 92, P < 0. 01) with the cooperative group performing better. There was no statistically significant difference in performance between competitive and non-competitive learning strategy groups, (F (1, 76) = 0.0073, N.S.). There was no significant interaction effect of cooperation and competition. The practical implications of the results and suggestions for further research were pointed out.

Keywords: Academic performance, cooperation, competition, learning strategies, Mathematics and learning strategies

The Nigerian Journal of Guidance and Counselling Vol. 11 (1) 2006: pp. 60-69