CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Secondary school teaching and learning are rapidly changing; group work has become an essential emphasis in this period of pedagogical transformation (Burke, 2011). One option for group instruction that falls under the learner-centered approach is group work. It is an educational strategy that encourages student-to-student connection by working in small groups to optimize learning and achieve common goals (Adekola, 2014).

Group learning is a type of educational program in which students engage in small groups to assist one another in mastering academic topics. Learners in this classroom structure believe they are collaborating with other pupils to win rewards. In this atmosphere, a student's success is determined by the achievement of other pupils (Chukwuyenum, Nwankwo and Toochi, 2014).

One of the most essential goals of group work is to encourage and support other pupils to achieve. Positive interdependence and individual accountability are two essential components of effective cooperative learning. That is, group members must rely on one another to the extent that each member has obligations, each wants the others to succeed, and no one believes that his or her individual success or failure would harm the others in the group (Johnson and Johnson, 2002).

To improve students' achievement, group members must promote each other's learning and success face-to-face; hold each other personally and individually accountable to do a fair share of the work, use the interpersonal and small group skills required for successful collaborative efforts, and process as a group how effectively members are working together (Adekola, 2014).

There are intriguing group learning practices in education today that will allow students to have active control over their own learning while simultaneously improving academic accomplishment (Onabanjo, 2000). According to Wichadee (2007), group learning may be organised in a variety of ways, including Students' Team Achievement Division (STAD), Teams-Games Tournament (TGT), and Jigsaw I and II.

Teachers can use any of these approaches to encourage pupils to learn while also developing interpersonal and team skills. Classes have always included a mix of good and bad pupils (high achievers and poor achievers) (low achievers). The weak pupils sit alone, gradually losing faith in their capacity to study. Working in groups is therefore seen to aid in the resolution of this challenge since group members may complement each other's skills and shortcomings. Students who dislike speaking in front of a large group feel more at ease speaking up in smaller ones (Adekola, 2014).

While the phrase covers a wide range of practices, group learning, or small group work, is still an essential component of active learning theory and practice (Burke, 2011).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It is clear that failure in secondary schools is caused by a loss of interest on the part of both instructors and students, as teachers revert to old techniques that do not improve absorption of subject knowledge, while students' motivation is significantly lowered, resulting in failure. This negative attitude may be diminished if students collaborated and learned from one another (Chukwuyenum, Nwachukwu and Toochi, 2014).

Furthermore, it has been noticed that senior secondary school pupils in Nigeria in general, and Lagos state in particular, do poorly in both internal and external examinations. This might be related to the style and manner in which they are being taught. However, data has arisen in recent years demonstrating that group learning strategies tend to provide pupils with better ways of grasping subjects and increase academic achievement (Ibrahim, 2003). Many people feel that when students work in groups, they understand each other better than when they are taught individually.

In Nigeria, study also revealed that very little effort had been put at group learning. Furthermore, the Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) declared in the National Policy on Education that group work is strongly encouraged for teaching at all levels. As a result, it is considered that most instructors are not aware of the benefits of doing group work, and that most schooling does not encourage students to become conscious of their own learning, to think critically, and to draw their own pattern of thinking and meaning from knowledge supplied by teachers. This study is being conducted in an attempt to bridge the information gap about the impact of group work on students' academic performance in senior secondary school.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The study will be conducted with the following objectives: To;

a.examine the relationship between group work and students’ academic performance in senior secondary school.

b.find out the effect of cooperative learning on student academic achievement.

c.investigate the influence of teamwork on enhancing students confidence

d.find out if collaborative learning is related to classroom success.

1.4 Research Questions

The undertaking of this research project will beam a searchlight on the following research questions;

1.What is the relationship between group work and students’ academic performance in senior secondary school?

2.What is the effect of cooperative learning on student academic achievement?

3.To what extent does teamwork enhance students’ confidence?

4.How is collaborative learning related to classroom success?

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