Abstract

Cooperative Learning is an instructional paradigm that focuses on student engagement in a small group, which enable them to maximize their learning experience. Group learning allows students to develop problem-solving, interpersonal, presentational and communication skills, all beneficial to life outside the classroom. The purpose of this study is to examine Cooperative Learning and The Development of Core Skills by Primary School Pupils in the Buea Municipality. Specifically, the study seeks to find out how the use of group learning which promotes the development of pupils’ personal and interpersonal skills enhance the development of core skills in pupils, investigate how the use of mixed ability grouping in the learning process can lead to the development of core skills in pupils, examine how the use of group learning which promotes the development of individual and group responsibility can promote the development of core skills in pupils and to find out how the use of group learning which promotes the development of positive interdependence facilitate the development of core skills in pupils. To achieved these objectives, the study employed a descriptive survey design to sampled 20 primary school pupil from four (04) selected primary schools in Buea Municipality. The study employed a structured-questionnaire to collect data using a non-probability sampling techniques that is the purposive and convenient random sampling. Data was analysed using SPSS (21.0). Finding revealed that group learning promotes the development of personal and interpersonal skills as pupil turn to develop core skills faster, communicate with their peer better, participate in the lessons and become more creative. Mixed ability grouping in learning interaction contributes to the development of pupil core skills as pupil become more curious, learners increase their response rate to the lesson and learners interact more with each other. Group learning enhances the development of individual and group responsibility contributes to the development of core skills as learners learn to sympathize with each other, show more motivation when they work in groups and group discussion fosters openness among learners. The study also revealed that the use of positive interdependence in group learning influences the development of core skills by a pupil as learners tend to increase in their speed of response and participate actively in the learning process. The studies recommend that group learning should be encouraged among Primary school pupil as it helps enhances their capacity and ability to interact with their peers and participate actively during lessons.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Background of the study      

Historically, before World War II, social theorists such as All port, Watson, Shaw, and Mead began establishing cooperative learning theory after finding that group work was more effective and efficient in quantity, quality, and overall productivity when compared to working alone. However, it wasn’t until 1937 when researchers May and Doob (2000) found that people who cooperate and work together to achieve shared goals, were more successful in attaining outcomes, than those who strived independently to complete the same goals. Furthermore, they found that independent achievers had a greater likelihood of displaying competitive behaviours. Philosophers and psychologists in the 1930s and 40’s such as John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Morton (1998) also influenced the cooperative learning theory practised today.

Dewey (1967) believed it was important that students develop knowledge and social skills that could be used outside of the classroom, and in the democratic society. This theory portrayed students as active recipients of knowledge by discussing information and answers in groups, engaging in the learning process together rather than being passive receivers of information (e.g. teacher talking, students listening). Lewin’s (1966) contributions to cooperative learning were based on the ideas of establishing relationships between group members to successfully carry out and achieve the learning goal. Deutsh’s (1996) contribution to cooperative learning was positive social interdependence, the idea that the student is responsible for contributing to group knowledge. Since then, David and Roger Johnson (2009) have been actively contributing to the cooperative learning theory. In 1975, they identified that cooperative learning promoted mutual liking, better communication, high acceptance and support, as well as demonstrated an increase in a variety of thinking strategies among individuals in the group. Students who showed to be more competitive lacked in their interaction and trust with others, as well as in their emotional involvement with other students.

In 1994, Johnson and Johnson published the 5 elements (positive interdependence, individual accountability, face-to-face interaction, social skills, and processing) essential for effective group learning, achievement, and higher-order social, personal and cognitive skills (e.g., problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, planning, organizing, and reflecting).

The Competence-based approach incorporating cooperative learning was introduced in French-speaking Africa in 1996 during the Conference of Ministers of Education whose countries share the French Language in Yaounde (Bernard et al 2007). After analyzing the introduction and implementation of the new curricula for primary schools based on CBA, they realised that CBA was the most relevant method to enhance African education. Yet, with a focus on the Mauritanian primary schools, they obtained similar results as in many other African countries, that the greatest problem lies in implementing the curricula. The teacher faced such difficulties as his context of general poverty, insufficient and inadequate didactic materials, large class-size, making it difficult for them to create the situation needed for his lesson and individualizing instruction. They conclude that though CBA is a good approach for African schools, the needs and realities of Africa are also to be taken into consideration.

Cameroon like most nations had resolved to guarantee self-actualization and development for every child. Standards were falling and teaching became more teacher-centred. Inspired by the urge to improve on the standards, education authorities organized the National Forum on Education in 1995 which was later promulgated into law in 1998. However, the main goal of the forum was to make recommendations in all domains (political, economic and educational) as well as to make students more involved and inculcate in them the ability to think critically and state personal opinions, ideas with the original framework of mind. Therefore, to achieve the main objectives of the 1998 law, it serves as a pointer to educationists to better implement Competency-Based Approach (CBA) method through making provisions for the cooperative learning teaching strategy.

According to the Cameroon Primary School Curriculum (2018), the Cameroon education system has experienced pedagogic evolutions from the (Content) Objective-based Approach (OBA) through the Inferential Thinking Approach (New Pedagogic Approach) to the Competence-Based Approach (CBA) or Behavioural Objective-based Approach which is in use today. CBA facilitates the development of competences through the practice of Project-Based Learning, Cooperative learning and Integrated theme learning. This method was preferred as it is based on the potentials of learners. Learners are responsible for their learning and focus is laid on learning rather than teaching. This was seen as a means of responding to current trends like the Continental Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025) advocating for a society called for Agenda 2063, driven by skilled human capital above all and calls for quality and relevant education.

Contextually, in 1990, the World Conference on Education For All (EFA) which held in Jomtien, Thailand, made a clarion for universal primary education. During this conference, the emphasis was laid on access, equity and quality primary education for all, apart from declaring that “Education is the fundamental right for all people, women and men of all ages throughout the world.” The EFA conference also underscored that “active and participatory approaches (cooperative learning) are particularly valuable in assuring learning acquisition and allowing learners to reach their fullest potentials. It is, therefore, necessary to define acceptable levels of learning acquisition for educational programmes and to improve and apply systems of assessing learning achievement.

Also, the vision of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025), reorients Africa’s education and training systems to meet knowledge, competences, skills, innovation and creativity required to nurture African core values and promote sustainable development at the national, sub-regional and continental levels. This vision is in corroboration with the Law to lay down Guidelines for Education (1998) which states in Article 4 that the general aim of education is to ensure the intellectual, physical, civic and moral development of the child as well as its economic socio-cultural, political and moral integration in the society.

Nursery and primary education is the foundation of sustainable learning. It is on this basis that Cameroon has ratified several conventions related to compulsory education. These conventions range from the Jomtien Education framework of 1990, the Salamanca Statement of 1994, the Dakar Framework of 2000 to the Incheon Declaration of 2015 precisely the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4).

Besides these international conventions, the constitution of the Republic of Cameroon guarantees the right of the child to education and further highlights it in the 1998 law to lay the guidelines for education. Given becoming an emergent nation by the year 2035, the government developed the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (GESP) in 2009 to provide major orientations to all sectors of the society. The document tasked ministries in charge of education to develop the human capital required to attain this vision. The 2013-2020 Education and Training Sector Paper (ETSP) clearly defines the missions of each sub-sector in the educational system.

Nevertheless, the concerns raised by the international, continental, and national instruments were addressed in the National Core Skills Framework: communication in the two official languages (English and French), and use of at least one national language; use of basic notions in mathematics, Science and Technology; the practice of social and citizenship values; demonstration of the spirit of autonomy, a sense of initiative, creativity and enterprise; use of basic information and communication technology concepts and tools; the practice of lifelong learning and the practice of Physical, Sports and Artistic activities.

Statement of the problem

The development of some core skills (like communication in the two official languages, use of basic notions of mathematics, science and technology, use of basic information and communication technology tools and practice lifelong learning) have been a major concern in the Cameroon primary educational system. This explains why teachers and school administrators have been diverting efforts through the evolution of different teaching methods to make it become a success. However, there exists a gap in facilitating these core skills in students effectively and efficiently. It was for this reason therefore, the researcher sought to examine how the use of cooperative learning in the teaching-learning process can enhance the development of core skills in primary pupils within the Buea Municipality.

General Objective of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine cooperative learning and the development of core skills by primary school pupils in the Buea Municipality.

 Specific Objectives

The study specifically seeks to;

1. Find out how the use of group learning which promotes the development of pupils’ personal and interpersonal skills enhance the development of core skills in pupils.
2. Investigate how the use of mixed ability grouping (heterogenous grouping) in the learning process can lead to the development of core skills in pupils
3. Examine how the use of group learning which promotes the development of individual and group (accountability) responsibility can promote the development of core skills in pupils.
4. Find out how the use of group learning which promotes the development of positive interdependence facilitate the development of core skills in pupils