Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics

Naser Shala; Jerneja Pavlin

doi:10.29333/ejmste/16716

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Naser Shala ¹ , Jerneja Pavlin ¹ ^*

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¹ Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SLOVENIA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Kosovo ranks among the lowest in PISA science assessments. This may be due to the dominance of frontal work (FW) in secondary school science subjects, which leads to low student interest in these subjects. The cooperative learning (CL) approach, however, is a widely recognized pedagogical method that fosters engagement and enhances learning. This study aimed to examine the effects of CL on secondary school students’ achievements in physics lessons, particularly in thermodynamics. Key factors such as interest, social skills, and logical thinking were considered in understanding students’ achievements. A quasi-experimental pre-post design was employed, with data collected through paper-and-pencil tests assessing knowledge and logical thinking, as well as questionnaires on student interest and social skills. The study included 135 15-year-old students, divided into two groups: experimental (CL) and control (FW). The results revealed that the CL group significantly outperformed the FW group on the knowledge test, with notable improvements in students’ interest in physics and social skills. The study suggests that physics teachers adopt CL strategies to achieve multiple educational objectives.

Keywords

cooperative learning
physics education
secondary school
social skills
student achievements
student interest

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 21, Issue 8, August 2025, Article No: em2682

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716

Publication date: 01 Aug 2025

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How to cite this article

APA

Shala, N., & Pavlin, J. (2025). Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(8), em2682. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716

Vancouver

Shala N, Pavlin J. Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2025;21(8):em2682. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716

AMA

Shala N, Pavlin J. Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2025;21(8), em2682. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716

Chicago

Shala, Naser, and Jerneja Pavlin. "Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2025 21 no. 8 (2025): em2682. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716

Harvard

Shala, N., and Pavlin, J. (2025). Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(8), em2682. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716

MLA

Shala, Naser et al. "Effects of introducing the cooperative learning approach in Kosovo’s secondary school physics". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 21, no. 8, 2025, em2682. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16716