EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRATEGY ON PHYSICS TEST-ANXIETY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AWKA EDUCATION ZONE

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of cooperative learning strategy on physics test anxiety among secondary school students in Awka education zone. One research question and one null hypothesis guided the study. Pretest posttest nonequivalent control quasi-experimental design was adopted. The population was 2506 (1,125males and 1,381 females) SS2 physics students in the 44 public coeducation secondary schools in Awka Education Zone of Anambra State. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 129 students comprising 42 males and 87 females. Twenty-item researcher adapted Nist and Diehl (1991) test anxiety questionnaire, Physics Test Anxiety Questionnaire structured on a five-point scale ranging from ‘always’ to ‘never’ was used for data collection. Mean and ANCOVA were used to answer the research questions and test the null hypothesis respectively. Findings of the study revealed that Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy reduced students’ physics test anxiety level compared to those taught using conventional method. It was recommended that jigsaw cooperative learning strategy should be adopted by physics as well as science teachers, students, curriculum planners and significant others in secondary schools to help reduce students’ anxiety levels.