Effects of Collaborative Learning on Effective Communication Skills for Achieving Peace Culture among Science Students in Nigerian Schools

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of collaborative learning on developing effective communication skills for enhancing peace culture among science students in Nigerian schools.

Specifically, the study sought to determine the effect of collaborative learning on achievement of pro-social behaviours and communication skills for peace culture among science learners in Nigerian schools. A protest, posttest, non-equivalent control group design was adopted. Eighty four (84) senior secondary two (SS 2) science students in 8 intact classes randomly selected from 4 secondary schools in Nsukka town of Enugu state of Nigeria constituted the sample. An attitude to peace education questionnaire developed by the researchers was used for data collection. It was validated by experts in Educational Measurement and Evaluation and one expert in language Education. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach Alpha statistic and it yielded an index of 0.78. Mean, standard deviation and t-test were used in data analysis. Results showed that collaborative learning method was significantly (P<0.05) better than competitive method in achieving effective pro-social behaviours and communication skills for peaceful culture among science students. Also some barriers to achievement of effective communication skills for peaceful culture through collaborative learning identified by study included; use of emotional language (86%); interruption (62%) ; dominating in discussion (56%) and teasing (47%). It was recommended that peaceful culture should be promoted among the secondary school science students through appropriate communication skills taught in collaborative classrooms. Also, a programme to educate students on peaceful culture should be mounted in school curricula.