Effects of Jigsaw cooperative instructional strategy on senior school one students’ achievement in quadratic equation in Nigeria

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the jigsaw cooperative instructional strategy on senior school one students' achievement in quadratic equations in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State. The study employed a quasi-experimental design, specifically a pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group design. The population consisted of all SS1 students in government-approved co-educational secondary schools in the area. A sample of 92 students from two public co-educational senior secondary schools was selected using a purposive sampling technique. A 20-item multiple-choice Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts in Mathematics education, and its reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.84). Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to analyze the research questions, while inferential statistics (Analysis of Covariance, ANCOVA) were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that students taught using the jigsaw cooperative instructional strategy achieved higher post-test scores than those taught using conventional instruction. Additionally, male and female students in the experimental group performed equally well. The study recommends the adoption of the jigsaw cooperative instructional strategy in Mathematics education to improve students' achievement. The study's findings have implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to improve Mathematics education in Nigeria