Use Of Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Strategy and Its Contribution in Developing Creative Writing Skills in English among Secondary School Students in Machakos County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Dennis , Joel T. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-09-27T08:47:29Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-09-27T08:47:29Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-05 | |
| dc.description | A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment for the Award of Degree of Master of Education in Language Education in the Department of Educational Communication and Technology, School of Education, Kenyatta University, May 2024. Supervisors 1. Adelheid Marie Bwire 2. Harrison Mulwa | |
| dc.description.abstract | Creative Writing skill is an important aspect of Secondary school English. However, secondary school students have performed poorly in creative writing over the past five years evident by the low performance in English Paper (3) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination. This could have been as a result of ineffective methods employed by teachers among others. The study goal was to investigate the cause of this problem by evaluating the role of the jigsaw cooperative learning strategy in increasing creative writing abilities amongst Secondary school students in Machakos Sub-county. Recommendations were made based on the findings. This study was guided by three objectives: (a) evaluate teachers' preparedness in the use of the Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Strategy (b) determine whether the JCLS supports the development of creative writing skills (c) investigate challenges experienced when teaching and learning creative writing using the JCLS. The study was grounded on the Social Learning Theories (SLT) of Albert Bandura in 1960 and the Cognitive Constructivist Theory (CCT) by Jean Piaget in 1968. It adopted the quasi experimental design and used mixed method to collect quantitative and qualitative data from the respondents. A targeted number of fifty-seven (57) secondary schools in Machakos Sub-county, one thousand, six hundred, eighty-three (1683) Form 2 students, and fifty-seven (57) teachers of English. Accumulatively, 1740 teachers and students were the targeted population for this study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 6 schools from three clusters (sub-county, county and extra county schools). From the 6 schools, 168 Form 2 students were chosen as the sample size. Six teachers of English were purposively sampled for the study. A total of 174 respondents were selected for the study. The study used four tools; a creative writing skills achievement test, focus group discussion guide, questionnaire, and teacher interview schedule for information gathering. Qualitative and quantitative data were examined using coding, categorization, and interpretation through Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The qualitative data were examined using descriptive coding and interpretation of the findings while the quantitative data were examined using a measure of central tendency, paired sampled T-test, and independent sample T-test to measure the effect of the JCLS before, likewise after the intervention. Results were interpreted in tables and bar graphs. The study was piloted in one co-educational school that was not a part of the selected schools for the study. Sixteen students from Form 2 were chosen at random and 1 teacher purposively for the pilot study. Alpha Cronbach's reliability analysis showed a 0.76 coefficient above the required threshold of 0.70. The instruments were validated by education specialists from the Department of Educational Communication and Technology. The study found that JCLS improved the students creative writing skills, fostered cooperative learning, and promoted teamwork. Teachers of English were willing to use the JCLS after they were trained to use the strategy. It was recommended that policymakers, curriculum developers, and education officers use the findings to development materials on jigsaw cooperative learning strategy to improve creative writing skills achievement in English. Further recommendation was the inclusion of the jigsaw cooperative learning strategy in the syllabus of Universities and Teacher Training Institutes to have pre-service teachers trained how to use the JCLS. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/28931 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Use Of Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Strategy and Its Contribution in Developing Creative Writing Skills in English among Secondary School Students in Machakos County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Thesis |