Effects of Roundrobin and Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Strategies on Chemistry Students’ Academic Achievement on Hydrocarbons in Senior Secondary Schools,Uyo, Akwa Ibom State - Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of Roundrobin and Jigsaw cooperative learning strategies on
senior secondary school chemistry students’ achievement on hydrocarbons considering the
students’ cognitive styles. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. A
quasi-experimental, non-randomized pre-test, post-test design was used for the study. The
population of the study consisted of all the 1100 SS2 Chemistry students in all 14 public secondary
schools in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The study sample comprised 108 SS2
Chemistry students from two secondary schools. Multi-stage sampling technique was used for
sampling. First, criterion sampling technique was used in selecting two secondary schools that the
chemistry students were not taught the concept of hydrocarbon and then simple random sampling
technique was used for selecting the intact classes from the arms of SS2 in the selected schools.
Two instruments: Achievement Test on Hydrocarbons (ATH), designed to measure the students’
pre-test and post-test achievements in the concept investigated with a reliability index of .86
obtained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation; and adopted Sigels’ Cognitive Styles Test
(SCST) were used in gathering data for the study. The data obtained were analysed using mean,
standard deviation and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed that students
taught using Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy performed significantly better than those taught
using Roundrobin learning strategy. Again, neither the students’ cognitive styles nor treatment by
cognitive styles had statistically significant influence on the students’ achievement. Consequently,
it was recommended among others that curriculum planners should incorporate Jigsaw
cooperative learning strategy for the teaching and learning of hydrocarbons and other chemistry
concepts.