A Study of the Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning in Relation to Academic Performance at Secondary Level

<strong>Abstract</strong> In contrast to directed instruction where the teachers set the goals and deliver most of the instruction, the job of the teachers in the constructivist model is to arrange for required resources and act as a guide to students while they set their own goals and 'teach themselves. According to Johnson et al. (2002), cooperative learning is – 'teaching strategies and structures that involve students working together in small groups to maximize their own and others' learning'. In this study, it is an instructional approach where students are assigned in groups to expertise on a unique material after which they are reshuffled to form a new group wherein each member has to teach other what he/she specialized. 200 students and 120 teachers were the samples of this study. The sample was selected from the different schools of the Allahabad district. judgement tool, and achievement test were used in the collection of data. The data were analyzed with the help of reliable and most suitable statistical techniques. The findings suggested significant effect of cooperative learning on students' academic performance also the teachers had favorable opinions about the use of cooperative learning strategies in the schools.