EXPLORING THE GRAPHS OF FUNCTIONS USING THE JIGSAW APPROACH

Year 2016, Volume: 4 , 399 - 408, 01.09.2016

Vijayanthi Vıjayan Masitah Shahrıll Nor ‘arifahwati Abbas Abby Tan

Abstract

Cooperative learning is a strategy that involves
students working together towards achieving a common goal. This learning
technique can be carried out in various ways and one such method is by the
jigsaw approach. In the jigsaw approach, students become experts in a particular
concept and then share their knowledge with other group members. The purpose of
this study is to investigate how effective the jigsaw approach is in improving
students’ performance levels in Mathematics, in particular, in the topic of
graphs of functions. This mixed method action research study involves two
cycles, conducted in two different local government schools in Brunei
Darussalam. Cycle 1 involves a Mathematics class of 19 students and Cycle 2
with 25 students, and both at the Year 10 level. A pre-test and post-test
design was used for this purpose. Students’ perceptions on cooperative learning
were also studied. The results of this study suggest that the jigsaw approach
does have a positive effect on students’ performance levels in Mathematics.
Cooperative learning needs to be practiced more in classrooms as it helps in
the development of 21^st century skills for the students

Keywords

Cooperative learning, jigsaw approach, secondary mathematics

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