St. James High School of Buenavista, Agusan Inc.

Curato St., Brgy. 5, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte

SEC Reg. No. PW00001134

Telefax (085) 343-4332 343-4834

The Effect of Using Collaborative Learning Approach towards the Quiz Scores in

Physical Science of the Grade 11 HUMSS students of St. James High School of

Buenavista, Agusan, Inc. S.Y. 2023-2024

Emmanuel D. Leagogo

Kyle C. Marquez

Mariane Rose B. Uayan

Nico Palma

Shiela May Viscaya

Lovely Jamito

Jenevieve A. Betonio

Francis J. Mag-aso
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

This chapter will discuss the introduction and background of the study such as the

problem, aim, and its importance. This section will also provide further information to

have a better understanding as to what is the study all about.

1.1 Introduction and Its Background

The link between teaching strategies and student academic performance has

become a focal point in educational research. Teaching strategies encompass

intentional and systematic approaches employed by educators to facilitate learning in

the classroom. Teachers rely on several methods and methods to convey experiences,

skills and information to their students, provoke thinking and follow them. Each method,

or style, has its advantages, controls and provisions. The teacher plans for the material

he studies, organizes and presents it in ready for his students (Suaad Hadi Hassan Al-

Taai, 2021). Gaining a deeper understanding of how different teaching strategies

influence student academic performance is vital for educational institutions, as it

provides valuable insights into effective pedagogical practices and guides instructional

decision-making.

Students, specifically HUMSS students have had a hard time on understanding

Physical Science due to the lessons having complicated topics in it. Physical Science as

a subject aims for students to learn about how the world works. Because it is

complicated subject, during quizzes, students are shown to have a more lower score

than other subjects. Physics is fundamental to secure future needs for scientific and

technological competence (Angell et al., 2004), but many countries experience a drop in
students’ performances in international assessments (Organisation for Economic Co-

operation Development [OECD], 2018). Every lesson should be explained thoroughly

and clearly. This can be achieved by collaborative learning, where students are

expected to help each other with understanding the lesson more.

A local study by Santos and Gomez (2019) examined the impact of cooperative

learning on academic performance in Philippine secondary schools. Their findings

revealed that cooperative learning significantly improved student engagement, critical

thinking skills, and overall academic achievement. Similarly, an international study by

Johnson et al., (2021) investigated the effectiveness of problem-based learning in

diverse educational settings. Their research demonstrated that problem-based learning

not only enhanced student understanding of complex concepts but also fostered

collaborative skills and creativity among students from various cultural backgrounds. By

building upon these local and international findings, this research aims to contribute to

the existing body of knowledge and provide valuable insights applicable to the

Philippine context.

A study by Victor M. Lopez-Ramos, Benito Leon-del-Barco et.al,.(2022)

examines how Cooperative learning encourages the development of interpersonal skills

and motivates students to participate more actively in the teaching and learning

process. The results show that cooperative learning is an effective tool for encouraging

university students to develop academic goals that motivate them to fully engage with

the tasks they are set in order to acquire knowledge and skills (learning goals). In

addition, when students are asked to work as part of a team on an autonomous basis

without the structure and supervision necessary to ensure a minimum standard of

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cooperation, they display a greater tendency toward social reinforcement goals than

toward learning and achievement goals.

This comprehensive study aims to thoroughly analyze and evaluate how

effective a collaborative based learning is compared to the traditional methods of

teaching is in relation to the quiz scores in Physical Science of Grade 11 HUMSS

Students of Saint James High School.

1.2 Theoretical Framework

The constructivism theory developed by Vygotsky and Dewey explained

education and child development as it relates to cooperative learning (as cited in

Creswell, 2013). Vygotsky’s theories placed importance on the social interactions as it

directly related to cognitive growth (Vygotsky, 1978). Unlike previous social theorist,

Vygotsky believed that first, the child must make social connections, and then the child

will learn (Vygotsky, 1978). Vygotsky recognized that learners would make meaning

from the information that was around them as they work inside the learning

environment; construction in the classroom, therefore, created learning (as cited in

Clapper, 2015). John Dewey’s theories also influenced cooperative learning in the

classroom. Dewey believed that education was to be used to help society by preparing

students to be citizens with the development of social skills (as cited in Essien, 2015).

Essien (2015) continued that within Dewey’s theory, students worked together

cooperatively and guided their learning while teachers were seen as the facilitators. In a

facilitator’s role, the teacher’s role changed from someone giving information to offering

formal and informal support and procedural recommendations with the use of rhetorical

questions (Donovan & Mason, 2014).

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 Teachers are in the classroom to guide or lead students to their own

understanding of the content; they develop learning environments that challenge and

encourage students to think and solve problems critically (Spooner, 2015). Students

were engaged, “in the learning process together rather than being passive receivers of

information (e.g., teacher talking, students listening)” (Essien, 2015, p. 121).

This study was also guided by some theorist on cooperative learning namely:

Johnson and Johnson, Palmera, Paulsen, Felder

Johnson and Johnson (1999) cited five criteria which defined true cooperative

learning groups. These were positive interdependence, individual accountability,

promotive interaction, group processing and developing small group interpersonal skills.

They also pointed out three major positive results of using this type of learning namely

greater effort to achieve more positive relation among students and greater

psychological health. The theorists expounded that cooperative learning strategies

consistently improve achievement, computational skills and retention and create more

positive relationships among students.

Palmera (1999) revealed that cooperative learning improves social relation

among members of the group. achievement in comprehension computation and

problem solving She also added that cooperative learning as an instructional method is

useful in teaching mathematics.

Paulsen (2003) found out the effects of cooperative learning focusing on the

opportunities of both individual flexibility and affinity to a learning community. He also

revealed that cooperative learning strategy in teaching mathematics gives a positive

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improvement in the academic and computational skills. The cooperative learning group

provides the setting context, environment and the assessment part of the instructional

process that makes students learn from assessing the quality of their own and their

classmates' work as they do by participating in the instructional activities.

Felder (1997) stated that cooperative learning provides training in effective

teaching strategies to the students as the next generation teachers. He added that

cooperation weans themselves away from considering the teachers as the sole sources

of knowledge and understanding

These theories and principles are closely related to the present study because in

cooperative learning students switch between different groups and act as both teachers

and students. In one form of cooperative learning, the jigsaw method, the first group of

students work independently to become experts, then meet in homogeneous groups on

their expert topic to solidify answers to the presented questions. They then meet in

heterogeneous groups to teach their topic to other groups, and finally work again

independently, demonstrating their expertise in all topics (Berger & Hanze, 2015).

Teachers are seen as facilitators and students guide their own learning in this type of

classroom.

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 1.3 Schematic Diagram

Quiz Scores in Physical Science

Collaborative Learning Approach  Pre-Test

 Post-Test

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram

The schematic diagram shows the interplay of the dependent and independent

variable. This study uses Collaborative Learning Approach as the independent variable

and the Quiz Scores as the dependent variable. The concept of this study is to identify

what the effects of a Collaborative Learning Approach is to the pre-test scores

compared to the post-test scores of the Grade 11 HUMSS Students.

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1.4 Statement of the Problem

General Problem

This study seeks to determine the effects that Collaborative Learning has on the

Quiz Scores of Grade 11 HUMSS Students.

Specific Problem

1. What is the Quiz Score of the Grade 11 HUMSS Students in Physical Science

using Traditional-Lecture Method?

2. What is the Quiz Score of the Grade 11 HUMSS Students in Physical Science

using Collaborative Learning Approach?

3. Is there a significant difference between the Pre-Test and Post-Test Scores in

Physical Science?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Students. This will help students have a better understanding of lessons.

Teachers. The Teachers can provide a much efficient strategy to their students

and can help them understand students better.

The School. This will help the school provide a better education for students.

Future Researchers. The ideas presented in this study may be used as a

reference and help guide them.

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1.6 Scope and Delimitation

This study will be focused on the Grade 11 HUMSS students of Saint James

High School. The researchers are to conduct this study in Saint James High School.

1.7 Definition of Terms

The following terms are operationally defined for clarity and better understanding

of the study:

Grade 11 Students – A first-year student in senior high school. The participants

of the study.

Approach – To take preliminary steps toward accomplishment or full knowledge

or experience of. The way the teacher teaches the students.

Collaborative Learning – Two or more people who work together to achieve a

common goal. Students working together to accomplish the given task.

Traditional Teaching – Refers to a method of instruction in which the teacher

transmits knowledge to students through lectures, readings, or other forms of

presentation. The approach where the teacher uses only blackboard and textbooks as

teaching aids.

Quiz Scores – Is a piece of information, usually a number, that conveys the

performance of an examinee on a test. Determines if the students understands the

subject or not.

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 Physical Science – Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies

non-living systems. The subject that the researchers will focus on.

Pre-Test – It is a assessment to take in-order to determine a student’s baseline

of knowledge. The students will not be exposed to any type of Collaborative Learning.

Post-Test – An assessment to see if there is a difference after the given

information. The students will have a Collaborative Activity.

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 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

The review of literature for this focuses on whats the use of using specific teaching

approaches to aid in learning difficulty with students.

Teaching Approach

Teaching is the process of attending to people’s needs, experiences and

feelings, and intervening so that they learn particular things, and go beyond the given.

Teachers – certainly those in most formal settings like schools – have to follow a

curriculum. They have to teach specified areas in a particular sequence. As a result,

there are always going to be individuals who are not ready for that learning. As teachers

in these situations we need to look out for moments when students may be open to

learning about different things; where we can, in the language of Quakers, ‘speak to

their condition’. Having a sense of their needs and capacities we can respond with the

right things at the right time. Smith, M. K. (2018)

Traditional teaching methods which are also known as conventional teaching

methods are still used in schools on a wider scale. In the traditional teaching methods,

teachers ask students to recite and memorize the content of the study and what they

teach in the classroom and also students one by one recite the lesson when their turn

comes. Except for those who are reciting, other students listen and wait for their turn. In

this way, the whole lesson is completed by students. Then students are asked to

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memorize the lesson and on the basis of this recitation, teachers take assignments,

written tests or oral tests.

Traditional teaching was the long-established teaching style in Philippine

education system wherein the students are passive in terms of participating in class,

due to they only have to seat quietly on their places and listen to the teachers’ didactic

method. Snowie Balansag (2018)

The main objective of teaching at any level of education is to bring the

fundamental change in the learner (Tebasal&Kahssay 2011). The importance of

teaching methods is that they empower the teacher with flexibility and autonomy in the

classroom. A teacher who possesses a hefty mental toolbox of teaching methods can

change things up quickly, adapting to students’ needs as they arise. Teaching methods

have spanned history from Socrates and the Socratic Method that resulted in his death

by poison in 399 BCE all the way through impassioned conversations about how

teaching methods can be innovated to best fit virtual classrooms in the wake of virtual

schooling for students across the globe during the pandemic.

Matthew Lynch (2019) states that students that learn from a teacher who only

has one method of teaching are likely to receive a poor grade or having to repeat a

course. This wouldn’t happen if teachers knew how to differentiate instructions to suit

the needs of all learners.

A study by Almoslamani, Y. (2022) also found that the use of learning strategies

significantly predicted student’s achievement, particularly the microstrategies and keys

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of memory and metacognition. This implies that students have to pay more attention to

the use of these learning strategies if they are to enhance their academic performance.

21st Century Learners

Learning is “a process that leads to change, which occurs as a result of

experience and increases the potential for improved performance and future learning”

(Ambrose et al, 2010, p.3). The change in the learner may happen at the level of

knowledge, attitude or behavior. As a result of learning, learners come to see concepts,

ideas, and/or the world differently. Today, creativity and innovation are critical skills for

students to possess (Delp, 2011; NEA, 2012). 21st century children need to be able to

think creatively, work creatively with others and also implement innovation in their

everyday lives (NEA, 2012; Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2009). This means that

students need to be capable of developing creative solutions to the many problems and

challenges that they may face and that the 21st century brings (Delp, 2011).

Twenty first century skills, or skills that students learn for success in the world’s

current climate, have as many different definitions as cooperative learning itself. In this

research, the author will use the Partnership for 21st Century Skills’ definition that

includes the 4Cs: creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving,

communication, and collaboration (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011). Critical

thinking, collaboration, and communication are three components common to the

cooperative learning teaching strategy, and when students partake in cooperative

learning, they are better prepared for skills needed later on in their careers and social

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areas of their adult lives (Igel & Urquhart, 2012). In cooperative learning students are

paired up in groups with the idea that the backgrounds of all students can be used to

enrich the lesson and help students to reach the learning goals set forth by the teacher;

within the structure of a cooperative learning lesson students are provided

“opportunities in multiple interactions with diverse perspectives” (Huss, 2006, p. 20).

Achievement Outcomes

There are numerous outcomes associated with cooperative learning. Johnson

and Johnson (2014) cited three main categories that these benefits all fall into:

“achievement, positive interdependence, and psychological adjustment” (p. 843).

Academic achievement is well noted in studies at all ages, elementary (Vega &

Hederich, 2015), middle school (Igel & Urquhart, 2012; Smith, Cornelius, & Hines, 2014;

Zakaria, Solfitri, Daud, & Abidin, 2013), high school (Valdez, Lomoljo, Dumrang, &

Didatar, 2015) and collegiate levels (Baer, 2003; Zamani, 2016).

Researchers have even gone as far to say that since cooperation in learning

leads to higher achievement, as compared to traditional or individualistic learning styles,

that curriculum should be altered to include this teaching in the majority of lessons

(Gillies et al., 2008).

Since cooperative learning is a teaching method, it lends itself to different

subjects, and therefore many studies involve different subjects. Slavin (2001) reported

that “research on a wide variety of innovations in curriculum, technology, and

professional development have consistently found cooperative learning to be among the

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most effective of all strategies for elementary and secondary reading and mathematics”

(p. 2).

Mathematics has seen its fair share of studies showing higher achievement

scores due to cooperative learning (Smith et al., 2014; Vega & Hederich, 2015; Zakaria

et al., 2013). These studies indicated that cooperative learning methods benefit the

students more than traditional learning environments.

Higher-level reasoning

Cooperative learning teaching strategy is a shift away from traditional teaching

and memorization of facts to demonstrate learning, and instead shifts learning and

teaches students how to think critically (Chikh & Hank, 2016). Working cooperatively

has shown that students generate more innovative ideas and are able to solve more

problems than students who work individually or against each other (Johnson &

Johnson, 2014). Because teachers often give the learning outcomes to the cooperative

learning group and let students guide their own learning, often students learn more than

what is going to be measured on the test.

Retention

One of the most effective ways to retain information or build schema on topics is

to elaborate on the given topic or to explain the topic to peers (Fore et al., 2006).

Zakaria et al. (2013) reasoned that when students clarify topics and have topics

explained to them, they tend to retain the concepts for longer periods of time. Students

who are actively engaged in their own learning process report that retention is easier

(Leonard & McElroy, 2000).

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 A study published by the Nondestructive Testing Resources Center found that

immediate use of learning to teach others was the teaching method that held the

greatest retention rate, over 90 percent, and this superseded learning practices such as

practice by doing and discussion in groups (Spooner, 2015). In other words, talking to

peers about what was just learned helped students retain what they just learned, more

than any other teaching practice.

Collaborative Teaching Method

Collaborative learning is an educational approach to teaching and learning that

involves groups of learners working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or

create a product (Marjan Laal, Seyed Mohammad Ghodsi, 2011). Collaboration

improves the way your team works together and problem solves. This leads to more

innovation, efficient processes, increased success, and improved communication

(Sarah Ribeiro, 2020).

There are five elements that Johnson and Johnson (2014) identify in cooperative

learning lessons: positive interdependence, individual accountability, interaction,

development of social skills, and group processing. These five elements separate

cooperative learning from traditional learning and traditional group work in a variety of

ways, ensuring that students all work, succeed, and do their part.

Positive interdependence is the idea that group members’ success comes from

each member’s individual success; the group does not do well unless everyone does

well (Deutsch, 1949). It is in this way that students feel responsible for their teammates’

work and success, in addition to their own. “Because students see themselves on the

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same side, they are motivated to encourage each other and to help their teammates by

showing each other how to learn and how to solve problems” (Kagan, 2013, p. 51). The

key for efficient groups is to strike a balance between working together in a group that

depends on one another and individual accountability. Having students teach the lesson

via cooperative learning allows for classmates to stop and reteach when confusion sets

in, whereas when a teacher is teaching the whole group, it is often not possible for the

teacher to stop the lesson and check for understanding with each student, and reteach

on the spot (Kagan, 2013).

The second element that is present in cooperative learning is individual

accountability; this element differs from traditional group work because in cooperative

learning students often receive a group grade and an individual grade (Johnson &

Johnson, 2014). Individual accountability may be structured by “giving an individual test

to each student, having each student explain what they have learned to a classmate, or

observing each group and documenting the contributions of each member” (Johnson &

Johnson, 2014, p. 844). This element deters a solitary group member from doing all the

work while other group members use the working individual for credit, but do not

complete the work themselves. Reflecting on a past psychological experience in which

participants pulled on a rope, first by themselves, exerting much strength, and then with

a partner, exerting much less strength, researchers, Igel and Urquhart (2012), noted

that adults “loaf when they can get away with it. Why would they expect children to

behave differently?” (p. 6). With individual accountability, each student must perform in

some way apart from their group (Kagan, 2013). Working together and communicating

with peers are both essential components of the learning process. It is important to note

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when researching about individual accountability, that researchers have reported that

the larger the group, the less likely the group members see their contributions to the

group as important to the success of the group. The more group members a group has,

the less likely some members participate and therefore affecting the individual

accountability component (Gillies et al., 2008).

The third element in cooperative learning is interaction among peers. Within this

interaction, peers give feedback, encourage each other, challenge each other’s

comments, discuss problems, connect to prior learning, or schema, and in some cases,

teach or reteach (Johnson & Johnson, 2014). When students perform in this way, it

challenges them. It also moves students through the ZPD because students take

meaning from information that challenges them through working with other students

inside the learning environment.

The fourth element in cooperative learning is the development of social skills.

This is often one of the most noted benefits of the use of cooperative learning (Chen &

Chang, 2014). These skills must often be taught just like academic goals and can

include appropriate communication, leadership, encouragement, compromise, and

conflict management skills (Igel & Urquhart, 2012; Johnson & Johnson, 2014; Spooner,

2015; Stahl, 1994). Through the development of these social skills, students develop

interpersonal and small group skills, like leadership, that will last a lifetime (Johnson &

Johnson, 2014).

The fifth element that must be present in cooperative learning is group

processing or an internal check on the group’s dynamics to identify the skills the group

is using that are benefiting it and which skills the group is using that are hindering the

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group’s learning. Once these practices are identified, groups can decide what to

continue to do and what needs to change so that all group members are participating

and learning (Johnson & Johnson, 2014).

Collaboration improves the way your team works together and problem solves.

This leads to more innovation, efficient processes, increased success, and improved

communication. During a study by Mr. Luciano O. Marimon Jr. He concluded that

cooperative learning strategies were found to be effective tools in improving

mathematical performance of students. 3

Another study by Gladys T. Dimatacot and Dr. Karherine B. Parangat on the

Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning on the Academic Performance in Mathematics of

Junior High School in the Philippines. They found that before using cooperative

learning, the students level of performance did not meet expectation for both grade 9

and grade 10. After using cooperative learning however, the students performance was

satisfactory.

Since there was a significant difference before and after using cooperative

learning, they concluded that using cooperative learning can improve students

performance in mathematics following the intervention.

Cooperative learning technique enables learners to learn from each other and

gain important interpersonal skills (Topping, Thurston, Tolmie, Murray & Karagiannidou,

2011). The goals of cooperative learning are to enhance learners' learning and to

develop their social skills like decision-making, conflict management and

communication skills (Eslamian, Aref & Aref, 2012). This teaching strategy provides

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opportunities for higher order thinking as opposed to passive listening, reinforces

listening to others and gives opportunity for immediate feedback and adjustment of

thought (Eslamian et al., 2012).

Learners assist each other in understanding material/content and this may even

help them broaden their perspectives on issues. Often learners assess the ideas of

peers, determine whether they “fit” their own, whether they disagree, or partially agree,

resulting in an opportunity for better formulation of their own ideas. Some learners often

say, “I didn’t think of that” or “That’s a different slant”. Thus, learners talking together

provide for input and listening which improves performance.

The central goal of cooperative learning in science and mathematics education is

to improve performance especially in problem solving skills where learners in their

groups will view each other as resources, but not as competitors, resulting in individuals

learning (Iksan & Zakaria, 2007). Members often provide information prompts, cues,

reminders and encouragement in response to other learners’ request for help or their

perceived need for help (Iksan & & Zakaria, 2007). In this way learners enhance their

conceptual understanding. Therefore, cooperative learning is recognized as a method

that promotes learning across the range of curricula from primary through high school to

college (Gillies, 2003). This implies that the quality of education can be improved when

learners are actively learning in the classroom (Iksan & Zakaria, 2007

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 CHAPTER III

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design

A quasi-experimental design was administered to identify the effect of

Collaborative learning on Students Quiz scores in Physical Science. The design was

employed mainly because of its strength which lies in the fact that advantages of each

approach complements those of the other making a stronger research design that yields

more valid and reliable findings (Opie 2004).

A quasi- experimental design compared the control group and the experimental

group using the learning material with major points: (i.) pre-test of students was given to

both experimental and control groups, (ii.) experimental group were guided by the

strategic intervention material after one week of the pre-test, (iii.) post-test of students

were given to both experimental and control groups after a week of intervention in the

experimental group. Table 1 shows a graphic form of quasi - experimental design of this

study. Y1 and Y3 represents the pre-test while the post-test is represented as Y2 and

Y4 for the experimental and control group respectively and X as the learning material.

Pre-test Treatment Post-test Difference

Score
Score

Experimental Y1 X Y2 Y2 – Y 1

Group

Control Group Y3 _____ Y4 Y4 – Y 3

3.2 The Subject of the Study

High School. Specifically, The students of Prophet Jeremiah and Prophet Isiah.

3.3 Research Instrument

This study will be using the pre-test and post-test on both the treatment group

and control group. The assessment measure was used as the main data-gathering

instrument.

3.4 Research Locale

This study was conducted in Saint James High School located at Barangay 5,

Curato Street, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, where the respondents of the researchers

are currently studying.

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3.5 Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will request for permission from the participating school’s

Principal and the School Research Coordinator, the researchers will conduct the study

in St. James High School Buenavista, Agusan, Inc in S.Y. 2023 – 2024. The

researchers will inform the School Research Coordinator and Physical Science Teacher

of each section.

The researchers will facilitate in the class while the Physical Science Teacher

continues on his lesson.

A pilot pretest will be administered to two groups of respondents before the

experiments. The experimental group will be exposed to the use of Collaborative

Learning while the control group will not be exposed to any Collaborative Learning and

will stick to Traditional Learning. Likewise, both groups will undergo a pre-test and post-

test. The teacher-made tests will be distributed to the respondents and will be

administered by the researchers and the student’s adviser.

After the pre-test the Physical Science Teacher will use the Collaborative

Learning Approach to the respondents. After the treatment the researchers will facilitate

in conducting of a post test and compare if there is an improvement or development to

the student’s quiz scores from the pre-test to post-test.

3.6 Statistical Tools

The following tools were utilized by the researchers to analyze and interpret the

data:

1. Mean – is the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the count of numbers in

the collection.
2. T – Test – is a statistical test that is used to compare the means of two groups.

3. Paired T – Test – is a method used to test whether the mean difference

between pairs of measurements is zero or not.

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