Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.9, No.14, 2018 43 Effect of Cooperative Learning on Students’ Attitude and Performance towards Probability Distributions in Statistics Banda Gerald* Mukuba University, P.O Box 20382, Itimpi Campus, Kitwe, Zambia Musonda Allan Copperbelt University, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, P.O Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia Abstract The study was designed to determine the effect of cooperative learning on students’ attitude and performance towards probability distributions in statistics. The design for the study was quasi-experimental control group pre- test and post-test design. Sample for the study consisted of 60 second year students at Mukuba University who were not repeating statistics. Data for the study was collected through two researcher developed instruments: Probability Distributions Performance Test (PDPT) and Probability Distribution Attitude Questionnaire (PDAQ). The 60 students were divided into two classes of 30 students each and were assigned to experimental group and control group respectively. The experimental group was taught using cooperative learning approach while the control group was taught using conventional learning approach. Data for the study was analysed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test statistics. The null hypothesis was tested at 5% significance level. The findings of the study revealed that cooperative learning improved students’ academic performance in Probability Distributions in Statistics. Furthermore, the findings of the study revealed that cooperative learning approach increased student’s positive attitude towards statistics in the experimental group as compared to the control group. Therefore, incorporating cooperative learning approach in teaching statistics was found to have a positive effect on enhancing students’ performance and attitude towards statistics. Keywords: Cooperative Learning Approach, Conventional Learning Approach, Attitude, Performance 1.0 Introduction The construction of new schools and upgrading of basic schools into secondary schools in Zambia called for training of more teachers for Home Economics, Science and Mathematics. Among the measures the government of Zambia took was the upgrading of Copperbelt Secondary Teachers College (COSETCO) in Kitwe into a university in 2012 (The Post 04 November 2012 Issue No: 246). As a university, the teachers training institution which now offers a four-year Bachelor of Education Degree programme on full time and distance learning, was opened in 1972 as Copperbelt Secondary Teachers College to train secondary school teachers. Mukuba University, formerly (COSETCO) has been producing teachers for Science, Home Economics and Mathematics from 1972. Before 1972, COSETCO was a catholic run secondary school called St Francis Secondary School under the Franciscan Missionaries. In 1972, government transformed St Francis Secondary School into COSECTO (Kelly 1999). The aim of transforming St Francis Secondary School into COSECTO was to supply well qualified secondary school diploma teachers for Home Economics, Science and Mathematics in Zambia. The motivation for this study stems from the researchers’ observation that Introduction to Probability and Statistics (MAT 250) has been and is still posing a number of challenges to the students who are majoring Mathematics in second year. For instance, out of 94 candidates who sat for MAT 250 examination in the 2014 academic year, only 48 candidates representing 51% passed the course while 46 (49%) failed the course. Out of 79 candidates who sat for MAT 250 examination in the 2015 academic year only 42 candidates, representing 53% passed the course while 37 (47%) failed the course. The 2016 academic year results shows that fifty five (55) students sat for statistic examination. Thirty four (34) students passed and this represents 62% and 38% failed the course. The course has nine (9) sub topics and one of the topics is Random Variables and Probability Distributions. 2.0 Methodology 2.1 Research Design Research design is the conceptual structure within which the research is conducted (Kothari, 2004). It constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. As such the design includes an outline of what the researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and its operational implications to the final analysis of data. In short, research design can be defined as a plan, structure and strategy of a research to find out alternative tools to solve the problem and to minimise the variances. The study used mix methods approach in order to observe the effects of Cooperative Learning. According to Creswell (2014), mixed research approach involves the collection of both qualitative (open-ended) and quantitative (closed-ended) data in response to the research question or hypothesis. In this study, qualitative data was gathered from observations of Probability brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE): E-Journals