Effect of Co-Operative Learning Approach in Social Studies on Achievement Motivation

Co-operative learning is a pedagogical practice that promotes socialization and learning across different curriculum areas and classroom settings. However, while the benefits of implementing co-operative learning are widely acknowledged, many schools and teachers still experience difficulties in knowing how to embed this practice into their teaching curriculum. Placing students in groups and expecting them to co-operate will not necessarily promote co-operative learning. It is only when members understand that they are dependent on each other and cannot succeed unless others do that they learn to co-ordinate their efforts and actively work together. Group cohesion develops as a direct consequence of members’ perceptions of their interdependence and their willingness to facilitate and encourage each other’s learning and enhancing the achievement motivation. In the present study, pre-test and post-test experimental design was used to assess the effectiveness of cooperative learning approach in social studies on the achievement motivation of secondary school students. A sample of 60 students randomly selected from one of the government schools of Chandigarh was assigned into control and experimental groups by equating them on the basis of their pre-test scores. After the intervention, the subjects of control group revealed no significant improvement in the percent scores of Achievement Motivation, the t-value being 0.52 which is not significant at 0.05 level, (P>0.05). However, the subjects of experimental group revealed a highly significant improvement in mean percent scores of Achievement Motivation, as evident from the t-value of 3.21 which is significant at 0.01 level (P<0.01). Findings of this study lead one to conclude that while linking group members together so that they experience task and goal inter-dependence which is a key element of successful co-operative learning, ensuring that they are trained in the interpersonal and small group skills needed to promote positive interactions and hence achieve motivation.