Abstract:

The study sought to find out whether cogenerative interactions between students and teachers significantly affects mathematics pedagogy. In particular, it explored whether cogenerative peer teaching effects better problem-solving skills and self-efficacy among students. It also investigated the relation between student self-efficacy and their problem solving skills in mathematics.
It is a quasi-experimental research involving 117 secondary school students comprising two intact Intermediate Algebra classes. One class was randomly assigned to the conventional method while the other was exposed to cogenerative peer teaching. In the first class, mathematics was taught using the traditional way by one single teacher. In the other class, a group of ten students were asked to meet regularly with the teachers to discuss the upcoming lessons. In these small group discussions of peers with the teachers, cogenerative interactions transpired. Everyone was encouraged to speak and share his views regarding the lesson and how it should be presented to class. New ideas on how lessons could be efficiently taught were generated and incorporated into a lesson plan. Steps on how to prevent possible misconceptions were likewise integrated into the plan. The lesson plan was then executed by the teacher and one or two of the ten peers. This approach is based on the idea that students also learn from their peers and that the students themselves is an alternative source for ideas on how the lessons can best be presented to achieve optimal learning.
Two instruments, a problem-solving ability test and a self-efficacy inventory were constructed for use in the study. The instruments were tested for content validity and were subjected to reliability analysis. The participants in the cogenerative discussions were interviewed.
Quantitative and qualitative research analyses showed that the use of cogenerative peer teaching in classes improves student self-efficacy and problem solving ability in mathematics, and that gender does not moderate any of these effects. Moreover, mathematics self-efficacy significantly and positively predicts student problem solving in mathematics. Students who participated in the cogenerative discussions exhibited positive views about cogenerative peer teaching.

Keywords:

Cogenerative discussions, peer teaching, coteaching, self-efficacy, problem-solving, mathematics