EFFECT OF JIGSAW TEACHING APPROACH ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN BUSINESS EDUCATION PRACTICUM IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA

Abstract

This research focused on the effect of jigsaw teaching approach on students’ academic achievement and retention in business education practicum in colleges of education South East, Nigeria. Two research questions were generated and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted quasi experimental research design of pretest, posttest non- randomized group. The study area is South East Nigeria. The population of the study comprised one hundred and fifty five (155) Business Education NCE II students from the seven colleges of education in South East Zone, Nigeria. The sample of the study is sixty seven (67) NCE year II Business Education students from two colleges of education in South East, Nigeria. A Business Education Practicum Achievement Test (BEPAT) was developed by the researcher from the lesson plan containing the course contents that were taught as to enable her collect data for the study. The instrument with 40 question items, constructed from the lesson content was validated by experts and subsequently administered to the sixty seven (67) respondents (Experimental and control group) used for the study. The administered test instrument were retrieved, marked and scored and the scores used for the analysis. The items with regards to research questions were analysed using mean and standard deviation while null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings of the study revealed that teaching and learning business education practicum using jigsaw teaching approach improve female students’ academic achievement than their male counterpart. The findings of the study also show that jigsaw teaching approach improved female students’ retention in business education practicum than their male counterpart. Result of the hypotheses shows that there was no significant difference between the academic achievement and retention of male and female NCE II students in business education practicum. The researcher concluded that Jigsaw teaching approach is more effective in improving female students’ achievement and retention ability in business education practicum. The researcher therefore recommended among others that business education lecturers should monitor the students carefully during jigsaw classes to ensure there is adequate collaboration, active participation of each student and team work among group members irrespective of gender so that team of adopting jigsaw teaching approach is not defeated.