EFFECT OF INNOVATIVE COOPERATIVE LEARNING ON SELF-CONFIDENCE, SOCIAL COMPETENCE, AND EXPECTATIONS OF FAILURE AMONG CHILDREN WITH MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the Innovative Cooperative Learning Program (ICLP) compared with the Traditional Approach (TA) on enhancing self-confidence and social competence and on reducing expectations of failure among children with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) in Saudi Arabia. A quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test control-group design was used, involving 60 female children with MID who were assigned to either the ICLP group (n=30) or the TA group (n=30). Both groups were assessed on the three dependent variables (DVs): self-confidence, social competence, and failure expectations before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine within-group changes and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare the effectiveness of the two groups, ICLP and TA, while controlling for baseline differences. The findings revealed that both instructional approaches produced statistically significant improvements from pre-test to post-test across all measures. However, the comparative analysis demonstrated different effects across outcome variables. After controlling for pre-existing differences, the ANCOVA results demonstrated that the TA group had significantly greater gains in self-confidence and social competence, while the ICLP group showed significantly larger reductions in expectations of failure compared to the TA group. Therefore, these findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate educational approaches for children with MID. In conclusion, the results indicated that both ICLP and TA can influence specific psychological and social outcomes among children with MID. This highlights the importance of aligning educational strategies with the clearly defined developmental goals and learner needs. Particularly when supporting children with disabilities. Overall, the result provides valuable implications for educational practice and policy development in Saudi Arabia.