Effectiveness of Collaborative Learning Strategies in Enhancing Students’ Mathematics Performance

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effectiveness of collaborative learning strategies in enhancing Grade 5 learners’ mathematics performance in fraction concepts within a Philippine public school. Anchored on sociocultural, constructivist, and social cognitive theories, the study contrasted traditional lecture-based instruction with two structured collaborative approaches, Think-Pair-Share (TPS) and Jigsaw. Forty-five students from Bacayan Elementary School in Cebu City were assigned to three intact classes: a traditional instruction group (n = 15), a TPS group (n = 14), and a Jigsaw group (n = 16). Over a two-week intervention, all groups received daily 60-minute lessons on fractions using a researcher-developed 10-item multiple-choice test on fraction identification, classification (proper, improper, mixed), and addition with like and unlike denominators as both pretest and posttest. Content validity was established by three mathematics educators, and pilot testing yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis H tests with Dunn’s post-hoc comparisons, paired-samples t-tests, and two-way mixed ANOVA. Results indicated differential improvements across groups, with collaborative learning conditions associated with more efficient and deeper learning of fraction concepts than lecture-based instruction alone. The findings highlight the value of integrating collaborative learning into elementary mathematics to promote active engagement, critical thinking, and peer-supported understanding, and they underscore the need for sustained teacher training and curriculum support for such practices.