Using jigsaw strategy to address senior high school students’ difficulties in solving word problems involving linear equations.

Abstract

This study compared the effectiveness of the jigsaw learning strategy in the teaching of word problems involving linear equations on the performance of students. The study employed the mixed method approach using quasi-experimental design to address the difficulties students face in solving word problems involving linear equations. The sample consisted of 96 students comprising 46 in the control group and 50 in the experimental group. The two classes were purposively selected for the study. One intact class was used as control group and the other as the experimental group. The instruments used for data collection were achievement tests and semi structured interview guide. Pre-test and post-test were carried out simultaneously on all the groups using teacher-made achievement test. From the findings, the four major difficulties students encounter when solving world problems involving linear equations were; students attempting but demonstrating misunderstanding of the problem, students attempting and unable to translate problem into linear equation(s), students attempting but fail to solve the equation to reach the solution and students attempting to solve the equation but failing to use the right methods or making errors. The results from the paired sample t-test showed that there is a statistically significant positive effect for the students who used jigsaw strategy to learn word problems involving linear equations [M = 22.98, SD = 6.352), t (49) = 9.497, p < 0.05]. Thus, the students taught with jigsaw strategy performed comparably better than their counterpart who did not use it to learn word problems involving linear equations. Also, the jigsaw strategy made lesson more interesting, practical and easy to understand. It was recommended that teachers should incorporate the use of jigsaw strategy in the teaching of word problems involving linear equations.