The Effect of Using Cooperative Learning Strategy on Graduate Students’ Academic Performance and Gender Differences

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effect of using cooperative learning strategy on graduate students’ academic performance and  gender differences  in educational statistics and eduactional research methoud courses. The convenience sample used consisted (23) master’s students’ (18 female and 14 male) who study the educational statistics course, and (24) master’s students’ (13 female and 11 male) who study educational research method course from faculty of education at King Saud University. This study employed a quasi-experimental - nonequivalent control-group design with pretest, posttest and delyead posttest  In this study, educational statistics performance test (ESPT) and educational research method test  was used to measure the students’  performance. The both tests consisted of 30 multiple choice questions to collect the relevant data. The data collected was analyzed using independent samples t-test statistical methods. Findings of this study revealed that there was no significant difference in academic performance of male and female students at the pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest levels respectively. However, further investigations and analysis could be beneficial to obtain a complete vision of cooperative learning strategy for graduate students’ and invest more empirical research studies about teaching and learning strategies.

Keywords: Cooperative Learning Strategy, Academic Performance, Gender, Graduate Students’.