The main topic of this master thesis is the effectiveness of teaching social sciences in grade 4 by using the method of the cooperative learning. In the theoretical part, we learn about the features, advantages and the limitations of the lessons carried out with the cooperative and the traditional learning. The goal of this master's thesis is to compare two different approaches of teaching social sciences and to find out which of the two gives the pupils a broader and better knowledge about the »Domestic landscape«.
Cooperative learning is a teaching method whose effectiveness has been researched for many years. Many times, there have been several findings that it influences the pupils' cognitive, emotional, motivational and social processes in a positive way.
In the empirical part, we used the quantitative research and we analysed how the pupils feel about the cooperative learning, the influence of the cooperative learning upon the knowledge about the Social Sciences, the improvement of the relations in the class and the durability of the contents knowledge. While focusing on one part of the Common Core Standards, we used eight structures of cooperative learning: an original puzzle, cooperative cards, structural team work with Bloom’s worksheets, team discussion, “two heads are better than one”, a three-stage interview, a group concept net, the mind maps and the “think-talk in a pair and say”.
The statistical analysis of results pointed out that the lesson that is carried out with cooperative learning, improves achievements for learners when dealing the topic Domestic landscape at the subject Social Sciences. Pupils have a more positive attitude towards the subject; however, the cooperative learning does not influence their affection for the subject. Cooperative learning increases the desire for cooperation among classmates, which can be seen within a greater social extent. However, the sociometric position of pupils did not improve. The hypothesis about the lesson with cooperative learning enabling a more lasting knowledge at Social Sciences in class 4 when compared to a lesson with traditional teaching methods, did not reveal any statistically important differences.
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