COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH: A LEARNER-CENTERED METHODOLOGY FOR ALLEVIATING THE NONREPRESENTATIONAL NATURE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AMONG LEARNERS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RWANDA

The cooperative learning approach abbreviated as CLA in this study has been extensively explored as a promising tool for boosting active participation in teaching and learning activities among learners in secondary schools. The present study investigated the advantages of using a cooperative learning approach in teaching sciences particularly, the nonrepresentational nature of Chemistry among learners could be alleviated when this approach is well implemented. Three groups of respondents were considered in this study namely teachers, director of studies, and head teachers to gain their understanding of the advantages of using CLA and constraints met during its implementation. Research tools used in this study are online survey designed in the form of questionnaires and distributed by using the link. Questions were formulated to get a general understanding of respondents in regard to the research model limited to the rationale of CLA in teaching and learning activities. 182 respondents participated in the survey but this study considered the calculated sample size of 125 respondents were further considered. The responses were scaled by using a psychometric scale commonly known as a Likert scale. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. The results obtained were analyzed and presented by using percentages of respondents. The results are found to be in the line with previous studies indicating that all elements of CLA greatly affect students’ academic performance and from the results, it could be concluded that this approach is advantageous compared to traditional teaching methods.