EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMEN IN CHEMISTRY ON THE TOPICS OF CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM AND PHASE EQUILIBRIUM: THE CASE OF KELLEM PREPARATORY SCHOOL, KELLEMWOLLEGA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study investigate effects of cooperative learning on students’ academic achievement in chemistry on the topics of chemical equilibrium and phase equilibrium: The case of Kellem preparatory school, Kellem Wollega zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. The study sampled 120 students from two sections one taken as experimental group and the other as control group which are purposively selected from six sections of Kellem Preparatory School grade 11 natural science because of relatively low score in chemistry. The data obtained from 60 students (M=29 and F=31) participated in cooperative learning instruction methods and 60 students (M=30 and F=30) participated in instruction based on regular learning methods, 2 School administrators and 2 Chemistry teachers. The research was used experimental methods, questionnaire and interview for data collection. Data analysis was done descriptively using mean, frequencies, percentages and t-test. A pre-test was administered before the study to identify students’ prior knowledge. Sample students score an average academically achievements 60.12% of control group (M=30.06% and F=30.06%) and 60.4% of experimental group (M=29.20% and F=31. 20%) before the treatment. A post- test was administered after cooperative learning instruction methods in order to examine the difference in achievements. In the comparison of the post –test of the two groups, the experimental groups were an average of 81.44 % (M=39.36% and F=42.08%) of academic achievements and 62.52% of control group (M=31.26% and F=31.26%) academic achievements in selected topic. The result of study show that cooperative learning instructional methods was better than the regular method of instructional methods in increasing students’ academic achievements and promote face to face interaction, creating positive dependence and insuring the active participation of all students in activities.