Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning on Math Anxiety, Academic Motivation and Academic Buoyancy in High school Students

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of cooperative learning on math anxiety, academic motivation and academic buoyancy in female high school students. The current research is a pretest-posttest follow-up semi experimental design with a control group. Participants were 30 students selected by purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Experimental group received cooperative learning intervention (math book contents) in 10 sessions in five weeks and control group was taught by using traditional method (lecture method) during this period. Data collection tools included Plake and Parker Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (1982), Harter Academic Motivation Scale (1981) and Hosseinchari and Dehghanizadeh Academic Buoyancy (2012). Analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to examine the hypotheses. The results indicated there is a significant difference between experimental and control group in math anxiety, motivation and academic buoyancy (P < .01). According to results, the cooperative learning improved motivation and academic buoyancy and reduced levels of math anxiety in experimental group. Consequently results supported the impact of cooperative learning in improving motivational outcomes and reducing the negative emotions in high school students.

Keywords

• cooperating learning
• math anxiety
• academic motivation
• academic buoyancy
• high school students