Effectiveness of Collaborative Group Work on Araling Panlipunan

to Class Performance of selected Grade 11 Students

of Birbira High School
School Year 2016-2017

An Action Research Proposal

Prepared By:

ROSEMARIE G. MACAPAGAL
Teacher II
Birbira High School
 RATIONALE

INTRODUCTION

In the past years of my teaching, I found out that my class was to be more

teacher-led than student-led. I always wanted to change that but I was frightened to give

up too much control in the classroom. I handle students with different experiences and

abilities. I took it upon myself to help the students who had lowest performance during

class, and because of this, often the other students did not get the guidance they

needed. There is much pressure as a teacher to make sure all students are succeeding

academically, and frequently I am not able to meet all 25 students’ needs in a class

period and find that students who are struggling quickly learn to dislike the subject

matter.

Another problem I experienced in my classroom was homework completion. It

had been my practice to give homework on Monday-Thursday for lesson followed up. I

hope these assignments will help the students know what would be the questions they

need to ask on the next day before I present the next lesson. However, many students

did not even look at their assignments. There could be the possible reasons for this.

Maybe my students did not understand the discussion so they fail to comply or maybe

they were simply unmotivated. Perhaps students did not see the importance of

homework or assignments.

With these problems in my everyday teaching, I want to do something to help not

only the struggling students but also incorporate new practices into my classroom that

are beneficial to the academics and social attitudes of all my students. Therefore, I
decided to propose a study of the effectiveness of collaborative group work on Araling

Panlipunan as a teaching strategy and to seek out its correlation to students’ class

performance.

Conceptual Framework:

A discussion of collaborative learning in general is one that consumes volumes of

writing because of the quantitative, evidence-based trend in higher education. One

focus of this proposal will be on understanding how students benefit academically or

how their academic achievement may have impact by assessing collaborative group

work approach. Yet, the best strategy/approach is still unknown. The intention of this

study is to frame out the discussion of collaborative group work and the evaluation of

the literature with these concepts and to employ these perspectives in a critical analysis

of evidence.

THE PARADIGM OF THE STUDY

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT
1. Personal Profile 1. Survey
1.1. Age
1.2. Gender Increased Academic
Questionnaire
1.3.Religion Performance in
2. Academic Araling Panlipunan
2. Statistical
Performance in through the
Araling Collaborative Group
Tools
Panlipunan Work of Selected
Grade 11 students of
3. Collaborative o Percentage
Group Work on Birbira High School,
S.Y. 2016-2017.
Class o Frequency
Performance
counts

o Weighted mean
o Chi-square

Figure 1. The Paradigm of the study

 Specified in the INPUT variables are the personal profile of the students-respondent,

the academic performance of the students in Araling Panlipunan and the Collaborative Group

Work Approach. In the PROCESS, as revealed in the second frame conveys procedure that

researchers will utilize in order to gather information such as survey questionnaire the statistical

treatment for descriptive and inferential statistics. In the research study, the OUTPUT would be

the increased Academic Performance in Araling Panlipunan through the Collaborative Group

Work Approach of the selected Grade 11 students of Birbira High School

Statement of the Problem:

This study will focus on the effectiveness of collaborative group work in Araling

Panlipunan to the Academic Performance of selected Grade 11 students of Birbira High

School of the school year 2016-2017. Specifically, it answers the following questions:

1. How the profile of the student be described as to:

A. Age c. Religion

B. Gender

2. What is the academic performance of the students with regards to the subject

Araling Panlipunan?

3. Is there a significant difference between the Academic performance of the

students in Araling Panlipunan using the collaborative group work in the

academic performance of students who are not using the collaborative group

work?
Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis:

1. There is no significant difference in the Academic Performance of Araling

Panlipunan students when grouped according to profile variables.

2. There is no significant difference between the academic performance of the

students in Araling Panlipunan using the collaborative group work in the

academic performance of students who are not using the collaborative group

work in Araling Panlipunan subject.

The Scope and Delimitation:

This study will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of Collaborative

Group Work Approach in teaching to the students. The study will be limited only to the

Grade 11 students of Birbira High School in Camiling, Tarlac during the school year

2016-2017. This study will look into the positive/negative effects of Collaborative Group

Work Approach.

Significance of the Study:

This study, once found successful and effective, will be envisioned to benefit the

following:

The students- That they would be aware of the positive effects of Collaborative

Group Work on the difficulties of Araling Panlipunan subject.

 The teachers- That they would adapt this approach and to even improvise

modern strategies/methods in teaching.

The school- That they continue to provide technical assistance to make

Collaborative Group Work Approach in Araling Panlipunan is effective and

possible.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Teachers are constantly searching for new strategies to meet all learners’

needs, and collaborative learning is one strategy that can be considered. Researchers

and co-directors of The Cooperative Learning Center at the University of Minnesota, Dr.

Roger Johnson and Dr. David Johnson, along with their research partner Mary Beth

Stanne (2000), define collaborative learning as “when students work together to

accomplish shared learning goals. Each student can then achieve his or her learning

goal if the other group members achieve theirs” (para. 1).

Three theme found in the literature regarding collaborative learning include the

academic, social, and implementation benefits of collaborative learning.

ACADEMIC BENEFITS OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Most of the research regarding collaborative learning method is concerned with

how it benefits all students academically. Stevens and Slavin (1995) carried out a

whole-school, two-year study using the collaborative elementary school model. Key

components to their research included utilizing collaborative learning in a variety of

content areas, mainstreaming academic struggles, and teachers planning

cooperatively. They found that “collaborative learning can be the primary mode of

instruction” and “can be effective in producing higher student achievement” (p. 341).

Results from the study also showed improvement for learning-disabled students

mainstreamed into classrooms utilizing collaborative learning.

Ma (1996) also found that the majority of 182 high school students in China

benefited they were allowed to build their own teams to work on similar collaborative

group work in preparation for a standardized test. “Middle- and low-achieving students

benefited significantly from collaborative group work and made considerable progress in

the subject when they were in teams of high ability” (p. 384).

While Ma (1996) found that “high achievers did not (benefit) although they still

maintained their top position in mathematics achievement” (p. 385. Stevens and Slavin

(1995) found that “well-structured collaborative learning is not detrimental to the

achievement of gifted students and, in fact, can produce significant and substantial

positive effects on gifted students’ achievement” (p. 345).

In a review of the literature around collaborative learning, Slavin (1996) found

that 63% of the studies he looked at found “significantly greater achievement in

collaborative than in control classes” and “collaborative learning methods generally work

equally well for all types of students” (p. 203). Overall, research shows positive

academic gains for all types of learners in collaborative learning settings.

SOCIAL BENEFITS OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Kutnick, Blatchford, Clark, MacIntyre, and Baines (2005) completed a qualitative study

of 20 secondary teachers from six schools and found that many of them did not think

about the positive social interactions between students but thought more about

classroom control. Stevens and Slavin (1995) showed working with peers has positive

effects on all involved in collaborative learning:

Unlike typical classroom instruction, during which students tend to have only

casual and rather superficial contact, collaborative learning processes have students

working together to achieve a common goal. This produces more meaningful

interactions between the students and a sense of positive interdependence. As these

work groups change over time, the students collaborate with a variety of students in the

class, leading to better peer relations in the class and an increase in students’

friendships. (p. 342).

IMPLEMENTING COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

While the above research suggested many benefits from implementing

collaborative learning, there were still many factors to consider, including group size,

group members (heterogenous or homogeneous), group tasks, organization, and group

expectations. There are several models of collaborative learning including Slavin’s

Student Team Learning, Student Teams-Achievement Divisions (STAD), Teams-

Games-Tournament (TGT), Elliot Aronson’s Jigsaw, Johnson and Johnson’s Learning

Together, Coehn’s Complex Instructions, and Kagan’s Cooperative Learning. As

Johnson, Johnson, and Stanne (2000) suggest, “Almost any teacher

can find a way to use collaborative learning that is congruent with his or her

philosophies and practices” (para. 7).

No matter what type of collaborative learning a teacher chooses to implement,

Johnson and Johnson (2007) suggest five basic elements that collaborative learning in

the classroom must include: positive group interdependence, face-to-face

interaction/ discussion, individual accountability, development of effective social skills,

and communication about improving the group process (cited in Bassett, McWhirter, &

Kitzmiller, 1999, p.46). Similarly, Slavin (1996) says that group goals and individual

accountability must be present for cooperative learning to be successful.

The task assigned a cooperative learning group is also important to consider. In

a study of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders working on social problems in triads,
Yamaguchi (2001) focused on the types of tasks assigned to groups. Yamaguchi found

that groups that had a mastery goal were more successful than those given a

performance goal. “This study shows that the learning condition plays an important role

in the emergence of leadership, dominance, and group effectiveness” (p. 692).

CONCLUDING STATEMENT

While there are many different views on the various methods used in

collaborative learning, it is evident that taking the time to utilize any method of

collaborative learning can have positive benefits to many students in the classroom.

However, the best method is still unclear.

Besides Slavin (1996), I did not find any other articles investigating how students

viewed collaborative learning in the classroom or how it affected their beliefs regarding

their own self-concept as a social students. One goal of my research is

to see how students perceived collaborative learning and how their attitudes toward

Araling Panlipunan changed while working cooperatively in the classroom.

Ma’s study (1996) was the only research that addressed the use of collaborative

learning in civics and social sciences. Her study took place in China, with high school

students who all had a similar goal: to pass a standardized test. Unlike Ma, I wanted to

use more structured groups instead of letting students work with anyone they chose. I
also wanted to know how cooperatively working on homework in the ninth grade

classroom impacted student daily work completion, academic success, and self-

confidence.

METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH AND PROCEDURES

Research Design:

The descriptive method of research was utilized in the analysis of the level of

academic performance of the students.

(Calderon & Gonzales, 2007, p.61) defines descriptive research describes and

interprets what is. It is concerned with conditions of relationships that exist; practices

that prevail; beliefs; processes that are going on; effects that are being felt, or trends

that are developing. The process of descriptive research goes beyond mere gathering

and tabulation of data. It involves the elements or interpretation of the meaning or

significance of what is described.

Descriptive Research is used to obtain information concerning the current status

of the phenomena to describe “what exists” with respect to variables or conditions in a

situation. The methods involved range from the survey which describes the status quo,

the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables. , to

developmental studies which seek to determine changes overtime. (Key, 1997, pp.12)

Respondents of the Study:

The respondents of the study will be the Grade 11 students of Birbira

High School at Birbira Camiling, Tarlac.

Sampling Technique:

A Simple random sampling will be utilized for the respondents of the study.

Research Instrument:

The questionnaire will be the main tool to be used in gathering the needed data.

The researcher believed that this is the best known tool for collecting such information

from someone through answer to a set of a questions designed to gather data which

only the respondents on the activities themselves can supply.

One questionnaire, Questionnaire #1, will be consisted of the profile of the

respondents and the academic performance of the student in Mathematics during the

first grading period of the school year 2016-2017.

Another questionnaire, Questionnaire #2, will be used in assessing the students’

attitude towards Mathematics class.

Lastly, informal interview will be conducted using the Questionnaire #3 to the

respondents for clarification of data and to supplement in the analysis of the data.

Statistical Treatment Data:

The data gathered from the questionnaire will be tabulated and the percentage

will be utilized. For the percentage, the formula is:

% = (f/n) x 100

Where:

% = percentage

f = frequency

n = number of observation

For the correlation of the academic performance of the students to the

cooperative grouping working approach the total weighted frequency and weighted
𝑻𝑾𝑭
mean will be computed using this formula: 𝑾𝑴 = 𝒏

Where:

TWF = total weighted mean

n= number of cases

WM= weighted mean

𝑓𝑜−𝑓𝑒 2
To test the hypothesis, the chi-square will be used 𝑋 2 = 𝑓𝑒

Where:
 fo= obsereved values

fe= expected values

𝑓𝑒 2 = the square of expected value

𝑋 2 = chi-square

Data Gathering Procedure:

The researcher will ask the approval and permission of the School Head of

TNHS to conduct this study. Questionnaires will be answered by the respondents before

and after the experiment period. Interviews will also be done.

QUESTIONNAIRE # 1

I. PERSONAL PROFILE

DIRECTION: Please provide the following information either by filling the data or by

putting a check () that corresponds to your response.

Name (optional):

Age: 13 15 17 19 21 above

14 16 18 20

Gender: Male Female

 Religion: Roman Catholic IglesianiCristo(INC)

Jehova’s Witnesses Seventh Day Adventist

Born Again/Baptist Christian Others (specify)

II. First grading grade of the students in Mathematics: Average - _____?

QUESTIONNAIRE # 2

Survey (Pre/Post)

Please rate yourself for math on the following scale

1 2 3 4 5

Not at all Sometimes About half the time Most of the time All of the time

1. _____ I enjoy Araling Panlipunan class.

2. _____ I feel I am good at Social Science.

3. _____ I enjoy working with others inAraling Panlipunan class.

4. _____ I understand Araling Panlipunan better when working with others.

5. _____ I am happy with my grades in Araling Panlipunan class.

6. _____ I get frustrated in Araling Panlipunan class.

7. _____ Araling Panlipunan practice assignments are difficult.

8. _____ I complete my daily Araling Panlipunan work on time.

9. _____ Araling Panlipunan daily work is easy for me.

10. ____ Araling Panlipunan tests are easy for me.

 QUESTIONNAIRE # 3

Pre implementation Interview Questions:

A: What do you like most about Araling Panlipunan class right now?

B: What would you change about Araling Panlipunan class right now?

C: What helps you learn the best in Araling Panlipunan class?

D: How do you feel about work in small groups?

E: How do you feel about the type and amount of daily practice work assigned?

F: Do you like math? Why or why not?

G: Do you feel you are good at math? Why or why not?

H: What do you do if you get stuck on a math problem or don't understand something that was

discussed in class?

Middle Questions:

A: What do you like most about Araling Panlipunan class right now?

B: What would you change about Araling Panlipunan class right now?

C: What is going well in your learning community?

D: What is not going well in your learning community?

E: How do you feel about the type and amount of daily practice work assigned?

F: Do you like Araling Panlipunan? Why or why not?

G: Do you feel you are good at Araling Panlipunan? Why or why not?

H: What do you do if you get stuck on a math problem or don't understand something that was

discussed in class?
I: Did you ask any of your learning community members a Araling Panlipunan question this week?

What was it? Were they able to help you understand the concept? Why or why not?

J: Did any of your learning community members ask you a Araling Panlipunan question this week?

What was it? Were you able to help him or her understand the concept? Why or why not?

End Questions:

A: What do you like most about Araling Panlipunan class right now?

B: What would you change about Araling Panlipunan class right now?

C: What is going well in your learning community?

D: What is not going well in your learning community?

E: How do you feel about the type and amount of daily practice work assigned?

F: Do you like Araling Panlipunan? Why or why not?

G: Do you feel you are good at Araling Panlipunan? Why or why not?

H: If you had a choice, would you continue learning communities?

I: How did learning communities help or hurt your learning in Araling Panlipunan class?

J: What do you do if you get stuck on a Araling Panlipunan problem or don't understand something

that was discussed in class?

K: Did you ask any of your learning community members a Araling Panlipunan question this week?

What was it? Were they able to help you understand the concept? Why or why not?

L: Did any of your learning community members ask you a Araling Panlipunan question this week?

What was it? Were you able to help him or her understand the concept? Why or why not?
REFERENCES

Bar-Eli, N., Bar-Eli, M., Tenenbaum, G., & Forlin, C. (1998). The tutoring process and its manifestation in

the classroom behaviour of tutors and tutees. British Educational Research Journal, 24(3), 283-300.

Bassett, C, MrcWhirter, J., & Kitzmiller, K. (1999). Teacher implementation of cooperative learning

groups. Contemporary Education, 71(7), 46-50.

Cohen, Elizabeth G. (1994). Restructuring the classroom: Conditions for productive small groups. Review

of Educational Research, 64(1), 1-35.

Johnson, David W., Johnson, Roger T., & Stanne, M. B. (2000). Cooperative Learning Methods: A Meta-

Analysis. Retrieved November 21, 2008 from http://www.co-operation.org/pages/cl-methods.html

Kutnick, P., Blatchford, P, Clark, H., MacIntyre, H., & Baines, E. (2005). Teachers’ understandings of the

relationship between within-class (pupil) grouping and learning in secondary schools. Educational

Research, 47(1), 1-24.

Ma, X. (1996). The Effects of Cooperative Homework on Mathematics Achievement of Chinese High

School Students. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 31(4), 379-387.

Mueller, A., & Fleming, T. (2001). Cooperative learning: listening to how children work at school. Journal

of Educational Research, 94(5), 259-265.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2004). National council of teachers of mathematics.

Retrieved on June 14, 2009, from http://www.nctm.org/

Slavin, R. (1996). Cooperative learning in middle and secondary schools. Clearing House, 69(4), 220-205.

Stevens, R., & Slavin, R. (1995). The cooperative elementary school: effects on students’ achievement,

attitudes, and social relations. American Educational Research Journal, 32(2), 321-351.
 Yamaguchi, R. (2001). Children’s learning groups: A study of emergent leadership, dominance, and group

effectiveness. Small Group Research, 32(6), 671-697.

WORK PLAN

TARGET PERSONS
ACTIVITIES EXPECTED RESULT
DATE INVOLVED

Aug 15, 2017 School Head & Inform the school head about the Granted permission to

Teacher action research to be undertaken conduct the research

Aug 16, 2017 Teacher & Orientation of the students 100% of the students will

Target students regarding the action research be aware of the research

Aug 17-19, Teacher & Interview through questionnaire 100% of the respondents

2017 Target students will be interviewed

Aug 22, 2017 Teacher & Administering of Cooperative 100% of the respondents

to Target students Grouping Working Teaching will be undergone the

Sept 23, 2017 Approach GWT Approach

Sept 26, 2017 Teacher & Interview through questionnaire 100% of the respondents

Target students will be interviewed

Sept 27-29, Teachers Data Analysis and Interpretation Data gathered were

2017 analyzed and interpreted

Sept 30, 2017 School Head & Submission of the Action Submitted Action

Teacher Research Research

August 15, 2017

ANGEL M. VILLAMIN, Ed. D.

Principal II
Birbira High School
Birbira, Camiling, Tarlac

SIR,
Greetings in the Name of the Lord!
May I request for your approval to conduct an action research “Effectiveness of Collaborative
Group Work on Araling Panlipunan to Class Performance of selected Grade 11 Students
of Birbira High School School Year 2016-2017”

In this regard the undersigned is asking for your approval to allow the distribution of the
questionnaires to the respondents for the completion of the study.

Rest assured any data or information that will be given shall be treated with utmost
confidentiality.

Very truly yours,

ROSEMARIE G. MACAPAGAL
Teacher II
Researcher

July 28, 2017

___________________________
ANGEL M. VILLAMIN, Ed. D.
Principal II
Birbira High School

Sir:

This is to respectfully submit my action research proposal entitled:

 EFFECTIVENESS OF COLLABORATIVE GROUP WORK ON ARALING
PANLIPUNAN
TO CLASS PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED GRADE 11 STUDENTS
OF BIRBIRA HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOOL YEAR 2016-2017.
For accepatance/approval.
Name of Researcher: ROSEMARIE G. MACAPAGAL
Position: TEACHER II
Station/District: BIRBIRA HIGH SCHOOL

PROPOSAL ACCEPTANCE/APPROVAL
This action research proposal of ROSEMARIE G. MACAPAGAL

Name

TEACHER I of BIRBIRA HIGH SCHOOL, CAMILING WEST

Position Station/School District

ENTITLED: Effectiveness of Collaborative Group Work on Araling Panlipunan

to Class Performance of selected Grade 11 Students
of Birbira High School
School Year 2016-2017
Is hereby accepted.
RECOMMENDING APPROVAL:

Accepted for implementation on _________________________.