EFFECTS OF JIGSAW COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST AND PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study is aimed at finding the effects of Jigsaw cooperative learning strategies on students’ interest and performance in social studies. The study was Quasi-experimental Non-randomized Pretest- Posttest Control Group Design. The target population for this study consisted of all the 2,024 Upper Basic 11 Social Studies students in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria during the 2020/2021 academic session in Taraba State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of six schools. The sample for the study was 74 Upper Basic II Social Studies students from the six selected secondary schools. Six intact classes were used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was “Social Studies Interest and Performance Test” (SOSIPT). The researcher trained the teachers in the experimental group on the technique of JCLS before the treatment. The instrument was pilot tested to ascertain the reliability. The reliability co-efficient alpha was 0.78. Data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 significant level. The result of the study show that there is significant difference in the mean performance scores of students in Social Studies taught using Jigsaw cooperative learning and conventional Strategies and there is significant difference in the students’ mean interest scores in Social Studies taught using Jigsaw cooperative learning and conventional Strategies. The researcher concluded that JCLS is an effective teaching method, which Social Studies teachers should be encouraged to use and should be implemented in all teachers’ education programmes in Nigeria and other African nations.