Developing Social Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem Through Cooperative Learning in Social Studies Classrooms

The present study aimed to examine the effect of cooperative learning (CL) on students' social self-efficacy and self-esteem in social studies classrooms. A pretest-posttest equivalent group design was deployed involving a sample of 100 students (N=50 control and N=50 experimental) in 7th grade from a public secondary school in District Mansehra, Pakistan. Student Team Achievement Division (STAD) based treatment was provided to the experimental group for eight weeks using 15 lessons from a Social Studies textbook. The control group was taught the same material through the traditional teaching method for the same duration. Social self-efficacy and self-esteem scales were administered before and after the treatment. Effect size and percentile points gain were used as statistical tools to compare the effect of CL. The analyzed data revealed that students of the experimental group (high-achievers, average-achievers, and low-achievers) exhibited higher social self-efficacy and self-esteem levels than those of the control group. Furthermore, the percentile gain for average and low achievers was no more or less than that of high achievers. The study results indicate that CL is an effective intervention for maximizing students' social self-efficacy and self-esteem across diverse achievement levels, emphasizing the need for its widespread implementation to promote inclusive and supportive educational environments.