Investigation of the effect of cooperative learning method on students' academic success and affective characteristics in mathematics course

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of cooperative learning in mathematics teaching. It was examined whether the cooperative learning method, student teams success sections (STAD) and team-game-tournament (TGT), had a positive effect on the academic success of the students in the subjects of "algebraic expressions, equality and equations" and "ratio-proportion" in the 7th grade compared to the current curriculum methods. In addition, the opinions of the experimental group students' regarding to the cooperative learning method were examined. The study is a mixed research model since it includes both quantitative and qualitative research models. In the quantitative part, a pre-test-post-test control group quasi-experimental design was used. In the qualitative dimension, a semi-structured interview technique was conducted with the experimental group students. A total of 48 students, 24 in the experimental group and 24 in the control group, constituted the study group. The study was conducted for 10 weeks in the 2023-2024 academic year at Seher Ali Secondary School in Soma district of Manisa province. In order to collect quantitative data, the "algebraic expressions, equality and equations" achievement test and the "ratio-proportion" achievement test created by the researcher were applied. In order to collect qualitative data, "semi-structured interview" questions created by the researcher were used. The quantitative data collected in the study were analyzed using the SPSS 21 package program at a significance level of 0.05. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data in which the opinions of the students in the experimental group were obtained. As a result of the analysis of quantitative data, it was concluded that cooperative learning techniques (STAD and TGT) made a significant contribution to the academic success of the students in a positive way compared to current curriculum methods. According to the results of the qualitative data obtained from the interviews conducted with the experimental group, it was observed that the students were pleased with the lessons with this technique, their social relations improved, their academic success and self-confidence increased.