EDUC105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Cognitive Architecture, Problem-Based Learning, Direct Instruction
1 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Direct Instruction:
Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning – Klahr & Nigam 2004
▪ Aim =
o To investigate children’s ability to learn the scientific concept of
‘control of variables’
▪ Participants =
o 112 3rd and 4th graders (random allocation)
o Allocated to direct instruction or discovery learning
▪ Materials =
o Two wooden ramps with adjustable steepness, run length and surface
(smooth/rough)
o Golf ball and rubber ball
▪ Procedure
o Direct Instruction Conditions and Discovery Learning Conditions
▪ Exploration – baseline → children designed experiments for a)
steepness and b) run length (DIC) AND (DLC)
▪ Training → teachers modeled confound and unconfounded
(control of variables) designs (DIC) → teachers observed
children interact with apparatus (DLC)
▪ Assessment → children designed experiments for a) run length
and b) ramp surface (DIC) AND (DLC)
▪ Results
o 77% of direct instruction students became ‘masters’
o 23% of discovery learning students became ‘masters’
o Mastery transferred to new scientific reasoning task (viewing science
fair posters and commenting on experimentation)
Response → Dean and Kuhn 2007
o Aim = replicate Klahr and Nigman’s study
o Participants/method = three groups of 15 students
▪ Constructivist – no direct instruction – 12 lessons of practice
with problems requiring co-variables (problem-based learning)
▪ Direct Instruction – 10 minutes explanation of CoV (direct
instruction) → no problem based learning
▪ Both – 10 minutes explanation of CoV (DI) → 12 lessons of
practice with problems requiring CoV (PBL)
o Findings = no advantage for direct instruction
Meta-Analysis examining PBL: Dochy et al. 2003
▪ Aim = to assess the impact of PBL on knowledge and skills
▪ Method = meta-analysis of 43 research studies and tertiary focus
▪ Findings = PBL has a robust positive effect on student skills and PBL may
have a negative effect on knowledge
Challenges to Constructivism:
▪ Cognitive psychology (latest technological/medical research on human
memory system)
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