Arab Educational Information Network

The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of cooperative learning strategy on the development of some computer skills of the inmates in the penal institution and reform in the United Arab Emirates. The sample of the study included (40) inmates. To achieve the objective of the study, the researcher applied the quasi-experimental design with two groups: an experimental group of (20) inmates that studied using the cooperative learning strategy and a control group of (20) inmates that studied in the usual way. The researcher prepared an achievement test consisting of (25) items of multiple-choice type. Their validity was measured by a group of specialized educators, and the reliability of the internal consistency was calculated by using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.716). The results of the study showed there were statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pretest and their mean scores in the post-test in favor of the post-test. There were statistically significant differences at the level of (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the experimental group and the control group in the post-application of computer skills tests for the benefit of the experimental group, and therefore the use of the cooperative learning strategy had a significant impact on the increase of inmates' acquisition of computer skills. The recommendations highlighted adopting the cooperative learning strategy in teaching the inmates due to its effectiveness in raising their achievement level and training the lecturers appointed in the penal and correctional institutions to use the cooperative learning strategy in teaching the inmates in various disciplines. (Published abstract)