Implementation of the Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) Cooperative Learning Method to Improve Eighth-Grade Students’ Mathematics Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Low mathematics achievement and limited classroom participation indicated the need for a more collaborative instructional approach in Grade 8A at Santo Yusup Pacet Junior High School. This study aimed to improve students’ learning outcomes on the Pythagorean Theorem through the Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) cooperative learning model. Classroom Action Research was conducted with 35 eighth-grade students during the first semester of the 2025/2026 academic year through two cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection. STAD was implemented through class presentation, heterogeneous group work, peer tutoring, individual assessment, and group recognition. Data were collected using achievement tests, classroom observations, and field notes and analyzed descriptively, with 70% classical mastery established as the success criterion. The mean achievement score increased from 69.77 in Cycle I to 81.29 in Cycle II, while classical mastery improved from 37.14% to 74.29%, exceeding the predetermined criterion in Cycle II. Reflection after Cycle I identified students’ limited adaptation to cooperative learning, leading to strengthened peer-tutoring roles, clearer group responsibilities, and more explicit group recognition in Cycle II. Following these refinements, students demonstrated improved mathematics achievement and greater participation in collaborative activities. The findings indicate that iterative implementation of STAD can support mathematics learning outcomes and classroom participation in the studied context.