Impact of Cooperative Learning Strategies on Social Studies Pre-Service Teachers’ Performance in Cybercrime Prevention

Matthew D. Omojemite; Olugbenga A. Ige

Matthew D. Omojemite Faculty of Education, Walter Sisulu University (WSU), uMthata Campus, Republic of South Africa
Olugbenga A. Ige Office of the Dean: Education Faculty: Education, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6505-2114

Abstract

Purpose – This study aimed to investigate the effect of cooperative learning strategies on the performance of Social Studies pre-service teachers in cybercrime prevention. The study adopted the Social Cognitive Learning Theory of Albert Bandura, focusing on learning from four areas: Observation, Understanding, Predicting, and Change in behavior. A quasi-experimental design was considered appropriate for this study.

Method – The participants for this study (386 pre-service teachers) were selected using a multistage sampling procedure. The instruments used in this study included the Cooperative Learning Strategy Guide (SLSG), the Conventional Method Guide (CMG), the Computer Literacy Test (CLT), and the Pre-service Teachers' Performance Test (PTPT). The experimental procedures were conducted in three stages: pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment, spanning eight weeks. Inferential statistics such as Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Estimated Marginal Means were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance.

Results – The findings revealed that Cooperative Learning Strategies (CLS) had a significant main effect on Social Studies pre-service teachers' performance in cybercrime prevention. Pre-service teachers exposed to CLS had higher adjusted mean scores than their counterparts in the control group. Additionally, there was no significant main effect of gender of Social Studies pre-service teachers on their performance in cybercrime prevention.

Conclusion – The study concluded that the use of Cooperative Learning Strategies enhanced pre-service teachers’ performance in cybercrime prevention compared to conventional learning strategies.

Recommendations – It is recommended that the use of Cooperative Learning Strategies (CLS) should be encouraged in teaching cybercrime prevention in tertiary institutions to enhance the academic performance of pre-service teachers.

Research Implications – This study has contributed to the body of knowledge by investigating the effectiveness of CLS in teaching cybercrime prevention in Social Studies education. The study has scholarly implications for designing teaching strategies appropriate for teaching crime prevention themes in Social Studies to pre-service teachers in Nigeria.

Author Biographies

Matthew D. Omojemite, Faculty of Education, Walter Sisulu University (WSU), uMthata Campus, Republic of South Africa

Mr. Matthew Omojemite concluded the Doctor of Philosophy in Social Sciences Education at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa in 2022. He is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Limpopo, South Africa.

Olugbenga A. Ige, Office of the Dean: Education Faculty: Education, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa

Dr. Olugbenga Ige is a Research Fellow in the Department of Department of Childhood Education at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.