New Perspectives in Science Education
Effects of Cooperative Active Learning Experiences on Achievement, Attitudes, and Behaviours in Biology
Amnah Alraddadi, University of Limerick (Ireland)
Audrey O’ Grady, University of Limerick (Ireland)
Abstract
It has been reported that with age, learners’ interest in science is reduced (Osborne et al, 2003; Prokop et al, 2007). Learners’ attitudes towards science and how pupils learn science content considerably influences their tendency towards attainment and their ability to retain science information, inside and outside of school. Bohner and Wanke (2014) state that an attitude is “a summary evaluation of an object or thought”. Koballa and Glynn (2007) describe attitudes as the expression of positive or negative affects towards objects, and this differentiates attitudes from other expressions, such as beliefs, values, or opinions.
The aim of this research is to determine the impact of the implementation of cooperative learning on student’s attitude and behaviour towards biology. Cooperative learning concerns instructional methods in which a small groups of learners with various levels of ability work in together to achieve mutual goals. The study took place in Ireland and it involved pre-service teachers in their second year of their Biology teacher education programme and students from secondary school (junior cycle). In order to achieve the research aims, quantitative (student questionnaire) and qualitative methods (pre- service teacher interview) were applied. The participants were ten pre-service teachers who received training workshop on using CL, along with their 302 junior cycle students. The findings indicate that the majority of junior cycle students in this study showed positive attitudes towards biology after the implementation of cooperative learning methods.
Keywords: Cooperative learning, Biology, attitudes.
References:
[1] Osborne, J., Simon, S., & Collins, S. (2003). Attitudes towards science: A review of the literature and its implications. International journal of science education, 25(9), 1049-1079.
[2] Prokop, P., Tuncer, G., & Chudá, J. (2007). Slovakian students’ attitudes toward biology. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 3(4), 287-295.
[3] Koballa Jr, T. R., & Glynn, S. M. (2007). Attitudinal and motivational constructs in science learning. In S. K. Abell, & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of research on science education (pp. 75-102). London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
[4] Bohner, G., & Wänke, M .(2014). Attitudes and Attitude Change. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.
