Differences between Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Teachers\u27 Perceptions and Implementation of Cooperative Learning Strategies

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to find potential differences in perceptions toward cooperative learning implementation (expectancy of success, perceived value, and perceived cost) and current teaching practices among groups of teachers, using the Cooperative Learning Implementation Questionnaire (CLIQ) instrument developed by Abrami, Poulsen, and Chambers (1998). The participants were part of a convenience sample of elementary teachers, n = 60, middle school teachers, n = 44, and secondary teachers, n = 45 in seven central Ohio public school districts. The research utilized a MANOVA to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in mean CLIQ subscale scores, (a) overall CLIQ scores, (b) expectancy of success, (c) perceived value, (d) perceived cost, and (e) current teaching practices between three groups of teachers (elementary, middle, secondary). The results for the MANOVA indicated that elementary, middle, and secondary teachers have similar perceptions of cooperative learning and similar current teaching practices for cooperative learning F( 2, 148 )=1.62, p = .10, 2=.05 and no difference was found among the groups. The researcher also provided additional discussion, implications, and suggestions for further research