Teaching cell division and genetics through jigsaw cooperative learning and individual learning

The main aim of the present study was to examine the impact of jigsaw cooperative learning and individual learning on the teaching and students' understanding of the subjects of cell division and genetics a difficult part of the general biology course. The sample of this study consisted of a total of 64 undergraduates from two different classes enrolled in the general biology course for the 2010-2011 academic years. One of the classes was selected random as the individual group (n = 39), in which individual learning was applied; the other was selected as the jigsaw group (n = 25), in which the jigsaw cooperative learning technique was applied. Students in the jigsaw group were divided into five "home groups" since cell division and genetics is divided into five subtopics (modules A, B, C, D, and E). Each of these home groups contained five students. The main instrument for obtaining data was the Biology Achievement Test (BAT), which was applied to both groups. The BAT was divided into five modules (A, B, C, D, and E), in which each module consisted of 5 questions (4 multiple-choice and one open-ended). According to the data obtained, Module B, C, and D subtopics indicated that the students in the jigsaw group were more successful than those in the individual group.