Improving Primary School Pupils’ Academic Achievement and Retention in Mathematics Using Jigsaw Teaching Method

Abstract

This study focused on improving primary school pupils’ academic achievement and retention in mathematics using jigsaw teaching method. It was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses. The pretest, posttest quasi experimental research design involving two groups was used for the study. The population of the study comprised of all the primary five (5) pupils of 2022/2023 academic session in Umuahia Education Zone of Abia state. The education zone has 201 primary schools with 4,447 primary five (5) pupils. The Two (2) primary schools with class teachers in primary five (5) that have mathematics background at NCE and Degree levels from Umuahia Educational Zone of Abia State were purposively sampled for the research.Simple random sampling technique was used in determining which school becomes the experimental and control group, 44 pupils participated as a sample for the study (19 males and 25 females). A Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) and Mathematics Retention Test (MRT) were used for data collection. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of covariance at 0.05 alpha level, with the aid of SPSS version 21. The results showed a significant difference between the academic achievement and retention of the experimental group and control group in favour of the experimental group. It also revealed that there was no significant difference in the academic achievement and retention of male and female pupils taught geometry in the experimental group which implies that the use of the jigsaw teaching method is independent of gender. Based on the findings recommendations were made such as teachers should employ the use of cooperative method of teaching such as jigsaw teaching method in the teaching of geometrical concepts at the primary level of education to enhance pupils’ academic achievement and retention. Finally, workshops and seminars on the use of cooperative method of teaching such as jigsaw Teaching Method should be organized by Ministry of Education for in-service primary school mathematics teachers.