The dominant approach to the study of economics at secondary school level
in the Maldives is teacher-centred methods based on behaviourist views of
teaching and learning. Despite considerable research on the benefits of
cooperative learning in economic education at the post-secondary level, very
limited research has been conducted in secondary school classrooms in order to
find ways of improving teaching and learning of economics. The purpose of this
study was to enhance the teaching and learning of economics at secondary schools
in the Maldives by trialing a cooperative learning model to enhance economics
teachers’ awareness of the impact that cooperative learning might have on student
learning. This study explored a cooperative learning approach to teaching and
learning economics in secondary schools and investigated teachers’ and students’
perceptions of cooperative learning.