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37
Effects of Individualized and Cooperative Learning Strategies on
Performance of Students in Economics in Lagos State

Nwac(u)wu P.#
Senior *esearc( #fficer
Nigerian Educational *esearc( and +e,elop-ent .ouncil% (Nerdc 3% Ji/uwu Street 0a/a% 1agos
E--ail2 olisanwac(u)wu3g-ail.co-

Abstract
4(e stud5 co-pared t(e effects of t(e two learning strategies on t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of students in
econo-ic ac(ie,e-ent test. '&& students% fro- fi,e secondar5 sc(ools were selected in 1agos state. Instru-ents
use was6 Econo-ic 7c(ie,e-ent 4est (E.#74. 4(ree (5pot(eses were tested at 58 le,el of significance. +ata
collected were su/9ected to t-test statistics. 4(e results s(owed t(at students in cooperati,e class perfor-ed
/etter t(an indi,iduali:ed class and t(ere is significant difference /etween acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and
fe-ale students e;posed to group learning. <ased on t(ese findings% it was reco--ended t(at cooperati,e
learning strategies s(ould /e introduced at t(e secondar5 sc(ool le,el of education to en(ance (ig( acade-ic
perfor-ance of students% Social and e-otional /enefits s(ould /e /uilt into indi,iduali:ed class so t(at learning
/eco-es attracti,e
Keywords: Indi,iduali:ed% .ooperati,e% Strategies% 7c(ie,e-ent% Econo-ics Students

Introduction
Indi,iduali:ed learning is a process of learning w(ic( allows learner to pursue (is own learning in (is wa5 and at
(is own speed. 4(is process of learning was /orne out of deeper ps5c(ological )nowledge of indi,idual
difference (7ni(% 2&&7. Igwe (2&&7 identified t(e gains fro- indi,iduali:ed learning to include6 learner can
progress at t(e pace /est suited to (i-% allows t(e /rig(t c(ild to accelerate a(ead and t(e slow learner is
pre,ented fro- /eing pursed too fast% (elps t(e learner wit( special difficulties w(et(er p(5sical% ps5c(ological%
e-otional or cultural to de,elop initiati,e and independence in t(e learner% gi,es t(e teac(ers a clear idea of eac(
learner=s progress.
7nowor (2&&! ac)nowledged igwe=s contri/utions% t(at indi,iduali:ed learning still (a,e its negati,e i-pacts%
according to 7nowor% (e said t(at t(e s5ste- (indi,iduali:ed learning places a (ea,5 tas) in t(e teac(er=s
s(oulder /ecause (e ensure t(at t(ere are sufficient learning -aterials for all t(e students to wor) wit(% depri,es
learners of t(e social and e-otional /enefits of group wor)s% and learning /eco-es dull wit(out t(e ele-ent of
co-petition a-ong t(e learners. .ooperati,e learning can /e ,iewed as learning wit(in a group and /5 t(e
group. 4(is process de,iates fro- t(e traditional process w(ere t(e teac(er i-parts )nowledge ac>uired /5 (i-
to t(e learner. It is learning generated /5 t(e people in order to sol,e a pro/le- or tac)le pro/le-s gi,en to t(e-
(7)a/ogu% 2&&?.
#-en5i (2&&7 and .(u)wu-a( (2&&! found t(at cooperati,e learning is /etter t(an indi,iduali:ed learning6
and t(at cooperati,e learning leads to cross-fertili:ation of ideas i.e. t(ere is interc(ange of ideas and e;periences
in t(e solution of pro/le-s% pro,ides opportunit5 for i--ediate and essential feed/ac)% and -a)es for greater
in,ol,e-ent t(roug( participation of -e-/ers. @urt(er contri/utions% Aden5a (2&&? said cooperati,e learning
en(ance t(e /roadening of ,er/al a/ilit5% and leads to s)illful presentation of ,iewpoints. In furt(er anal5sis
/etween indi,idual and cooperati,e learning% I)itde and Edet (2&&' stated cooperati,e learning strateg5 is
superior in ac(ie,e-ent -easure in social science. #lagun9u (2&&' in (is findings stated indi,iduali:ed learning
(as no significant difference /etween -ale and fe-ale perfor-ance of students in social science. Agwu (2&&!
and #)orie (2&&? also found t(at cooperati,e learning gi,es significant difference /etween -ale and fe-ale
students in social sciences. Ade-/a (2&&1 and Sa/ina (2&11 in t(eir reports said t(at students in cooperati,e
class (ad t(e greatest attitude c(ange and position feeling t(an t(ose in t(e indi,iduali:ed class.
Since t(ese differences influence t(e wa5s in w(ic( t(e indi,idual learns and perfor-s% it is e;pected t(at
differential instructional strategies /e adopted in teac(ing social sciences to en(ance acade-ic perfor-ance.
Bost social science teac(ers )now t(at teac(ing is -ost efficient w(en teac(ers ta)e into account indi,idual
difference in students% /ecause of ,ariations in t(eir -ental a/ilities% past ac(ie,e-ents% learning rate% inno,ation%
interest and -ode of learning.

Purpose of te study
4(e -ain purpose of t(e stud5 is to deter-ine t(e effects of indi,iduali:ed and cooperati,e learning strategies on
perfor-ance of students in econo-ics in 1agos state.


Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline
$ol.5% No.2&% 2&1'

3!
!esearc "uestions
1. C(at is difference /etween acade-ic perfor-ance of students e;posed to indi,iduali:e and t(ose
e;posed to cooperati,e learning strategies in econo-icsD
2. C(at is difference /etween acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to indi,idual
learning strateg5D
3. C(at is difference /etween acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to cooperati,e
learning strateg5D

#ypotesis
4(e following null (5pot(eses were tested at &.&55 le,el of significant.
1. 4(ere is no significant difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of students e;posed to indi,iduali:e and
t(ose e;posed to cooperati,e learning strategies in econo-ics.
2. 4(ere is no significant difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to
indi,idual learning strateg5
3. 4(ere is no significant difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to
cooperati,e learning strateg5

$etods
Population of te study
4(e targeted population of t(e stud5 is 1%5&&. It=s consisted of two categories w(ic( include students (-ale and
fe-ale all fro- selected senior secondar5 sc(ools w(ic( were selected rando-l5 fro- S(o-ulu 1ocal
Eo,ern-ent 7rea of 1agos state.

Area of te study
4(e stud5 co,ers senior secondar5 sc(ools w(ic( were selected rando-l5 fro- S(o-ulu 1ocal Eo,ern-ent
7rea of 1agos state.

Sample and sampling procedure
4(e descripti,e sur,e5 was utili:ed for t(is stud56 t(e sa-ple consisted of 15&& participants. @i,e (2& senior
secondar5 sc(ools were rando-l5 c(osen for t(e stud5 wit( a total of '&& students for-ing t(e sa-ple si:e of
t(e stud5. 4(e students in eac( were (2& students and t(e5 were di,ided into indi,idual and t(e group classes
respecti,el5 F1& in eac( groupG. 4(e students were e;posed to two wee)s of teac(ing instructions. 4(e sa-e
lesson notes wit( t(e sa-e o/9ects and e,aluation >uestions on selected topics fro- econo-ics% including /asic
tools for econo-ic anal5sis% for >uantitati,e% de-and% suppl5 and international econo-ies. 4(e lesson was
de,eloped for '& -inutes duration. 7t t(e end of t(e two wee)=s instruction% t(e Econo-ics Perfor-ance 4est
(E.#P4% w(ic( consists wit( option 7-E% was ad-inistered to t(e students. 4(e results of t(e students t(at
participated in t(e stud5 were scored /5 allocating 5 points to students t(at distinction (7% ' points to good (<%
3 points to credit (. 2 points to pass (+ and 1point to fail (@.
4(e researc(er and fi,e researc(er assistants participated in t(e field ad-inistration and retrie,al of t(e '&&
econo-ic >uestion papers >uestionnaires. 4(e >uestions were /ased in Cest 7fricans E;a-ination .ouncil
(C7E.% 2&12 and 2&13 and National E;a-ination .ouncil (NE.# 2&12 and 2&13 w(ic( were rando-l5
gi,en to students. 4(e co-parison of arit(-etic -ean and standard de,iation% were calculated and su/9ected to
@is(er=s t-test statistics and null (5pot(eses were tested at &.&5 le,el of significance. 4(e relia/ilit5 was found to
/e &.H18 for (E7S w(ic( pro,ed it co-petent and effecti,e for t(e stud5.

$etod of data analysis
+ata collected for t(e stud5 were anal5sed using inferential statistics used was t-statistics for t(e (5pot(esis 1 to
3 w(ic( was tested at &.&5 le,el of significance. 4(e researc(er and t(ree researc(er assistants participated in t(e
field ad-inistration and retrie,al of t(e'&& >uestionnaires.

%ata Analysis and &indings
4(e ta/le 1 /elow s(ows t(e results of acade-ic perfor-ance of students e;posed to indi,iduali:ed and
cooperati,e strategies
#ypotesis ': 4(ere is no significance difference in t(e perfor-ances of students e;posed to indi,idual and
cooperati,e learning strategies.
(able ': .o-parison of arit(-etic -eans% standard de,iations and t(e t-test of students e;posed to indi,idual
and cooperati,e learning strategies)
4a/le 1% indicated t(at t(e t-calculated ,alue of 2.7! is greater t(an t(e t-critical ,alue of 2.'7. Ience t(e null
(5pot(esis is re9ected. 4(erefore t(ere is significance difference in t(e perfor-ances of students e;posed to
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
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$ol.5% No.2&% 2&1'

3?
indi,idual and cooperati,e learning strategies.
4a/le 2 /elow s(ows t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale e;posed to indi,idual learning strateg5.
#ypotesis *: 4(ere is no significant different in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students
e;posed to indi,iduali:ed learning strateg5.
(able *: .o-parison of arit(-etic -eans% standard de,iations and t(e t-test of -ale and fe-ale students
e;posed to indi,idual learning strateg5
4a/le 2% presented t(e t-calculated ,alue of &.7! for -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to learning strategies and
t-critical of 2.'7. Since t-cal is less t(an t-critical. 4(e (5pot(esis is retained. 4(is s(ow t(at -ale and fe-ale
perfor-ed e>uall5 in t(e indi,idual classes.
4a/le 3 /elow s(ows t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of fe-ale and -ale students e;posed to cooperati,e learning
strateg5 in econo-ics.
#ypotesis +2 4(ere is no significance difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students
e;posed to cooperati,e strateg5 in econo-ics.
(able +: .o-parison arit(-etic -eans standard de,iation and t-test of -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to
cooperati,e learning strateg5.
4a/le 3 s(ows t(at t-cal ,alue of H.&7 for -ales and students e;posed to cooperati,e learning is greater t(an t-cri
of 2.'7. 4(e null (5pot(esis is re9ected. It -eans t(at -ale students perfor-ed (ig(er t(an fe-ale students in t(e
cooperati,e learning.
4a/le ' /elow s(ows t(e influence of indi,idual and group learning strategies on students= attitude toward
econo-ics.

%iscussion of &indings
@ro- 4a/le 1% t(e result of t(e test I5pot(esis 1 indicated significant difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ances of
students e;posed in indi,idual and group learning strategies in Econo-ics. 4(e findings agreed wit( I)itc(e and
Edet (2&&'% #-en5i (2&&7 and .(u)wu-a( (2&&! t(at cooperati,e learning is /etter t(an indi,iduali:ed
learning.
4a/le 2 s(ows t(at% t(e null (5pot(esis was retained% /ecause t(ere is no significant difference /etween t(e -ale
and fe-ale students in indi,iduali:ed class. 4(is -a5 /e due to t(e reason t(at t(ere is no cross-fertili:ation of
ideas during learning. 4(e findings were in support of #lagun9u (2&&'% 7ni (2&&?% Nwac(u)wu (2&1&
indi,iduali:ed learning% (as no significant difference /etween -ale and fe-ale perfor-ance of students in social
sciences. 4a/le 3 s(ows t(at t(e (5pot(esis indicated significant difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of -ale
and fe-ale students e;posed to cooperati,e learning. It s(ows t(at -ale students perfor-ed (ig(er t(an t(e
fe-ale students of t(e sa-e class. 4(is result agrees wit(% #-olu (2&&7% @enne-a (2&&!% Nwac(u)wu (2&11%
Agwu (2&&!% #)orie (2&&? and #safe(inti (2&&7.

Conclusion
4(e researc(er concluded t(at t(ere is a significant difference in t(e acade-ic perfor-ance of students e;posed
to indi,iduali:ed and group learning strategies in Econo-ics% t(ere is significant difference in t(e acade-ic
perfor-ance of -ale and fe-ale students e;posed to group learning and t(ere is significant different in t(e
attitude for-ation of students e;posed to indi,iduali:ed and cooperati,e learning strategies in econo-ics.

!ecommendation
<ased on t(e findings% t(e following reco--endations were -ade t(at2 ade>uate teac(er s(ould /e e-plo5ed to
reduce t(e (ea,5 tas) on t(e teac(er=s s(oulder% for state adopting indi,iduali:ed -et(od% social and e-otional
/enefits s(ould /e /uilt into indi,iduali:ed class so t(at learning /eco-es attracti,e and finall5% state s(ould
encourage group learning all le,el of education particularl5 t(e secondar5 sc(ool le,el to en(ance (ig( acade-ic
perfor-ance.

!eferences
7nowor% 7... (2&&!. Introduction of teac(ing -et(ods% for Senior Secondar5 Sc(ool Teachers. Enugu state
university press.
7ni(% S. (2&&7. @unda-entals% Inno,ation and Issues in Education. Enugu institute of ecumenical education
press
@enne-a% #.J. (2&&!. +ifference of fe-ale and -ales in -at(e-atics classes. Journal for research in
mathematics education. 12(1), 40!".
Nwac(u)wu% P.#. (2&1&. Eender difference in p(5sic ac(ie,e-ent in secondar5 sc(ools in two local
go,ern-ent areas of +elta state. #$%&E' Journal, (ol.), )12.
#)orie% J. A. (2&&?. @unda-ental of teac(ing practices Enugu, #igeria, fourth dimension pu*lishing co. ltd
#-en5i% <. #.. (2&&7. 4(e Significance and use of Indi,iduali:ation and .orporati,e 1earning Strategies in
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline
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'&
Nigerian Secondar5 Sc(ools. +,ford international press +nitsha

#-ole +.#.J. (2&&7 .o-piration Stud5 of Students= Perfor-ance of Sc(ool-<ased 7ssess-ent and .ertificate
E;a-ination at t(e Apper <asic Education 1e,el in @.4. #igerian Journal of Educational 'esearch and
Evaluation vol. -, !0!..
#safe(inti% I. #. N (2&&7. Se; differences in interaction and ac(ie,e-ent in cocoperati,e s-all groups. Journal
of educational psychology, -. (1), """4.
Pius% #. (2&&? KStrategies for I-pro,e-ent in 4eac(ing of Econo-ics in Senior Scondar5 Sc(ool.L
/npu*lished 0.1.2.E. pro3ect, 45E(T) $sa*a
.(u)wu-a( .# (2&&!. 7 functional approac( to education in Nigerians Enugu Sneap 0ress, Enugu
Sa/ina 7. Ade-/a E. (2&11. 4(e role co--unit5 of in>uir5 in Nigerian Secondar5 Sc(ools. Enugu %neap
0ress Enugu

4a/le 1
,ariable N " S+ df t-calculated t-critical
.ooperati,e class 2&& 3.2! &.!! 1?! 2.7! 2.'7
Indi,idual class 2&& 3.23 &.!7
P>0.05

(able *
,ariable N " S+ df t-calculated t-critical
Bale 1&& 3.2! &.!! 1?! &.7! 2.'7
@e-ale 1&& 3.H3 &.?3
P<0.05

4a/le 3
,ariable N " S+ df t-calculated t-critical
Bale 1&& 3.!! &.5? 1?! H.&7 2.'7
@e-ale 1&& 3.&H 1.&'
P>0.05


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