The effects of cooperative learning and traditional learning approaches on 6th grade students' academic achievements in geometry course

The main purpose of this research is to find out the influence of cooperative learning andtraditional learning approaches on students? academic performance in the ?Introduction toGeometry? chapter, using the Student Teams Achievement Divisions technique which is one of thelearning methods based on cooperative learning. The research also aims to investigate the effect ofcooperative learning method on the level of remembrance and impression on genders.In this research a pre-test, post-test control group pattern has been applied. The mathematicachievement test, comprising of elementary school 6th grade mathematics Introduction to Geometrychapter which has been employed as the pre-test, post-test in addition to remembrance test for thepurpose of this study, has been developed by the researcher and analysed for validity andcredibility.This research has been conducted with a total of 40 students receiving their education in aprimary school classes 6/A and 6/D situated in Rize. In the pre-test carried out in both classes nosignificant difference in success rate has been observed between the students of these two sections.To ensure the objectivity of the application, all practices of the experimental group usingcooperative learning method has been administered by the researcher, whereas the traditionallearning approach covering all class education for the control group has been exercised by thesection?s mathematics instructor.The analysis of the data from the post-test conducted after the application shows that thelearning method based on cooperation is not only more affective on students? academic successcompared to the traditional learning method but also does not create a significant difference ofsuccess between genders in the experimental group.In the test conducted for permanency in order to find out the level of remembrance inexperimental and control groups after four weeks of the application, the analyses of the data hasproved the learning method based on cooperation has more influence on permanency than thetraditional learning methods.