A Jigsaw Technique in a Cooperative Learning Environment Improves Senior High School Physics Students’ Academic Performance and Attitudes Towards Electronics.

Abstract

The study examined jigsaw in a cooperative learning environment to improve students’ academic performance and attitudes towards electronics using research subjects from senior high school physics students from the Sekyere South District. A mixed-method research design involving a total sample size of 104 physics students with 50 students in the experimental group and 54 students in the control group. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires, electronics concepts understanding test in the likeness of a pre-test and post-test and analysed using descriptive statistics, thematic and independence t-test to find the significant difference. It was discovered that prior to the introduction of the treatments, most of the students who participated in the study performed poorly by showing misunderstanding in the electronics concepts. However, participating students who were taught using the Jigsaw Cooperative Approach in the experimental group showed sound understanding in the concept of electronics test. The independence t-test on the post test showed a significant difference scores between the experimental (mean=22.75, SD=2.144) and control (16.21, SD=2.087, t (102) = 15.759, p=0.000<0.05) groups. This became possible due to the positive attitudes influenced by the cooperative teaching method utilized such as finding electronics in physics as an easy subject due to the support received from colleagues during discussions, feeling comfortable learning physics, giving more time for physics topics because it is perceived interesting by students who were meeting the home group and expert group to collectively share ideas and views among many others. Physics teachers in these Senior high schools are recommended to use a Jigsaw Cooperative Teaching Strategies to enhance the performance of students through individual and personal research of subject matters to deepen their understanding in physics.