Effects of Cooperative Mastery Learning Approach on Students’ Motivation to learn Chemistry by Gender

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Cooperative Mastery Learning Approach (CMLA) on students’ motivation by gender in chemistry in Kenya’s Bomet County.  Non-equivalent control group design under quasi-experimental research was used in which samples of four co-educational district secondary schools were drawn from the schools in the County. Each school provided one Form Two class for the study. This translated to a total of 205 Form Two chemistry students. Students in all the four groups were taught the same chemistry content of the topic, Effect of Electric Current on Substances. In the experimental groups, CMLA teaching strategy was used while Conventional Teaching Methods were used in the control groups. Data was collected using Students’ Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ) whose reliability coefficient was 0.82, hence suitable since it was above the 0.70 threshold. A t-test and one-way ANOVA statistical techniques were used to analyse the data. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used in data analysis. All statistical tests were subjected to a test of significance at 0.05 ?-level. The findings indicate that after treatment, the level of motivation for both male and female students went up. However, there was no significant gender difference in motivation to learn chemistry. Since the level of motivation was high for boys and girls taught using CMLA compared to those taught using conventional teaching methods, it implies that the teaching approach is suitable for teaching both male and female students. CMLA enhances students’ motivation to learn chemistry, therefore educators and teachers should be encouraged to use it in an attempt to improve performance in chemistry as well as bridge the gender gap that exists between boys and girls in the learning of science. In addition, teacher education institutions should make it part of their teacher training curriculum content.

Keywords: Cooperative Mastery Learning, Chemistry Learning, Gender, Motivation,