Fostering students' attitudes and achievement in probability using teams-games-tournaments

This study aims to determine the effects of cooperative Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT) in probability attitude and achievement of students in Riau, Indonesia. Although a plethora of research evidence highlights significant outcomes of the incorporation of cooperative TGT in probability, its use in the teaching and learning process appears to be limited. The obvious need to revisit the teaching and learning of probability has resulted in this study, i.e. to incorporate TGT in teaching and learning, specifically on the issue of attitudes towards learning probability. The objective is to examine the effectiveness of TGT in interactive learning, particularly on students' attitudes and achievement towards probability. A total of 64 form 11 students from an Islamic secondary school participated in this study; 32 students in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. The students' attitude towards learning probability instrument was adapted from Choo-Kim, Madhubala and Siong-Hoe (2011). The teaching approaches varied between the groups. While the experimental group experienced the TGT approach, the control group encountered the conventional teaching approach of chalk and talk. Data was collected at three points namely the pre-test, post-test1 and post-test 2 that lasted for four weeks respectively between each test. The results show significant differences in the improved attitude and achievement towards probability. In addition, cooperative learning TGT also creates an active learning environment in solving exercises, and discussions among students and teachers. This study provides evidence that learning probability with TGTs benefits students. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.