Engaging Senior High School Students through Competitive Collaboration

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Engaged students are successful learners because they can perform better and can help their peers learn more. It is important that teachers know how to manage the students' learning state and help them overcome "academic burnout" (Rahmati, 2015). This paper describes the impact of competitive collaboration on the engagement of Grade 12 students of Banaba West National High School. It also describes the challenges met, the problems encountered, and the insights gained on the utilization of the strategy.

METHODS

This Qualitative Action Research proceeded in three steps which are useful in collecting attitudinal data: (1) researcher's observation on the conduct of competitive collaboration strategy in class, (2) interviews, and (3) focus group DISCUSSIONS. Thirty-nine (39) 12th Grade students aged 17 to 21 took part in the study. The methods used focused on the participants' experiences of competitive collaboration and their impact to their engagement. Triangulation was used to improve the credibility of the findings of the study.

RESULTS

The students reported that they found competitive and collaborative games to be effectively engaging activities. They also perceived that collaborative competition had a positive impact on their learning outcomes. They thought that the strategy provided them with feedback and an opportunity for self-evaluation in a number of areas, including their creative skills. While the majority deemed it an effective learning experience, some students noted its negative impact on educational value. The students noted being out of focus because they enjoyed the competition. Others saw challenges such as uncooperative members and those who make their classmates more confused in learning. Overall, students felt that competitive collaboration is an effective strategy as it led them to positive anxiety, resulting in enhanced engagement during the learning process.

DISCUSSIONS

Competitive collaboration can offer a valuable formative tool to educators to enhance student motivation for better learning outcomes. The findings of this action research remain exploratory in nature. More confirmatory studies may be done to further confirm the findings. Unlike other researches, competition and collaboration were not presented as mutually exclusive terms but as complementary concepts that educators may use to engage learners.