Impact of class wide peer tutoring method on senior high school students’ achievement and retention in quadratic functions

Abstract

This research work investigated the impact of Class Wide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) teaching strategy on Senior High School students’ academic achievement and retention. It also looked at students’ perception of using CWPT method in teaching Quadratic Functions. The design adopted was quasi-experimental design, involving pre-tests and post-tests. One Hundred and sixty-six (166) students of 2016/2017 academic year in the two public second cycle schools in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region of Ghana, offering elective mathematics, were used as the research sample. The simple random sampling technique was used to select the experimental and control groups in each sampled school. The experimental group was exposed to Class Wide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), whilst the control group was taught with conventional method. Pre-test and post-test were used in collecting data on students’ achievement. The first retention test and second retention test helped in obtaining data on students’ retention of learned mathematical concept. A reliability coefficient of 0.80 for the tests was obtained. An Interview guide and observation checklist helped the researcher to obtain data on students’ perception towards the CWPT procedure implemented. The data was analysed using t-tests. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 levels of significance. The findings of the study showed that CWPT instructional strategies have significant effects on students’ achievement, retention and perception in quadratic functions more than the conventional method of teaching. It is recommended that government agencies and other stake holders tasked with the responsibility of designing and revising the curriculum for Senior High Schools, incorporate the use of Class Wide Peer Tutoring technique in teaching mathematics.