Co-Curricular Activities in Underpinning Students` Cooperative Learning Science Instructions:The Case Of Primary Schools Linked to Kemise CTE in 2015

Abstract

The main aim of this study was exploring the role of co-curricular activities in underpinning student`s cooperative learning in Natural science classroom instructions. In this direction, the study sought to investigate  whether the practice of natural science co-curricular activities were in line of promoting natural science education class room instruction effectiveness  in primary schools or not and  to assess the extent to which science co curricular activities facilitating learners` cooperative learning in natural science class room instruction. The study employed mixed method that is descriptive survey research design. Of 13 linked primary schools to KCTE, eight of them were selected by using convenient sampling, 24 science co-curricular coordinators, 49 science teachers and eight schools` principals were selected using availability sampling, and160 participant students were using purposive sampling technique depending on their first semester grade point. Questionnaire, document analysis and observations were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative technique. The quantitative data were analyzed using percentage and mean and portrayed using figures. The qualitative data were analyzed using narration and thematic analysis. The finding of the study showed that natural science co-curricular activities were not functioning properly in the way that is needed to be and it was not in a position of underpinning classroom instruction cooperative learning of students` in selected primary schools. Depending on this finding, it is recommend that, natural science co-curricular coordinators’ needs capacity building trainings to run the program, guidelines, close support and monitory, and allocation of resource to run the activities. It is also recommended that ANRSEB shall prepare guidelines, train science teachers educators on natural science co-curricular implementations. Primary school science teachers and coordinators shall also get the training, prepare plan of activities in line of the content of class room instruction, and must be supported in its implementation by school administration as well as by woreda education office.