Implementing Cooperative Learning Based-Approach in Mathematics Classroom Context: The Experiences of High School Teachers

Cooperative learning (CL) is characterised by its distinctive features as a teaching method. However, few studies have attempted to explore the experiences of teachers in designing mathematics lessons anchored on the CL-based approach in some selected High School in Ghana. This study reports on the experiences of 8, high school teachers who enacted CL-based lessons after undergoing a 3-day professional development training initiated in the study. The study took a period of 16 weeks where each teacher taught a 2-hour CL based lesson once a week. Data from the interview showed favourable experiences of the teachers in the design and enactment of CL based lessons. Nonetheless, the study revealed that the conduct of professional development training was critical for the successful implementation of lessons based on the CL approach. Issues of time, curricular activities and personal commitment on the part of teachers were found to be major impediments to the implementation of CL-based lessons in the High School classroom context.