Co-operative Learning and Implicit Theory of Intelligence: Impact on Academic Achievement

DOI: 10.5176/2251-1814_EeL17.32

Authors: Shefali Pandya

Abstract:

The study is aimed at studying the interaction effect of co-operative learning approach and students’ implicit theories of learning on their academic achievement of students. A pre-test post-test non-equivalent groups experiment was conducted on 78 and 81 students from experimental and control groups respectively. The effect of students’ IQ was removed from students’ academic achievement statistically for all further analysis. It may be concluded that (1) In spite of controlling for IQ of students, co-operative learning has yielded a higher mean academic achievement score as compared to traditional teaching. (2) There is a significant effect of co-operative learning approach, students’ implicit theories of intelligences and their interaction on students’ academic achievement. (3) The effect size of the co-operative learning approach as well as students’ implicit theories of intelligences on academic achievement of students is high. (4) Students with incremental theory of intelligence have shown a higher mean academic achievement score as compared to students with entity theory of intelligence. (5) In the experimental group, the mean academic achievement of students with incremental intelligence is significantly greater than that from students with entity intelligence. (6) In the control group, the mean academic achievement of students with incremental intelligence does not differ significantly from students with entity intelligence. This further implies that it is not IQ but rather a student’s belief about whether intelligence is fixed or malleable will determine his/her performance in mathematics when co-operative learning approach is adopted.

Keywords: Co-operative Learning Approach, Implicit Theories of Intelligence, Academic Achievement, IQ