A Brief Summary of Discovery Learning

A Brief Summary of Discovery Learning
Bruner, J. S. (1961). "The act of discovery". Harvard Educational Review 31 (1): 21–32.

Discovery Learning is a method of inquiry-based instruction and is considered a constructivist
based approach to education. It is supported by the work of learning theorists and psychologists
Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, and Seymour Papert.

Jerome Bruner is thought to have originated discovery learning in the 1960s, but his ideas are
very similar those of earlier writers (e.g. John Dewey). Bruner argues “Practice in discovering
for oneself teaches one to acquire information in a way that makes that information more readily
viable in problem solving" (Bruner, 1961, p.26). This philosophy later became the discovery
learning movement of the 1960s. The mantra of this philosophical movement suggests that we
should 'learn by doing'.

Discovery learning takes place in problem solving situations where the learner draws on his own
experience and prior knowledge and is a method of instruction through which students interact
with their environment by exploring and manipulating objects, wrestling with questions and
controversies, or performing experiments.

A Critique of Discovery Learning
Several groups of educators have found evidence discovery learning is a less effective as an
instructional strategy for novices, than more direct forms of instruction (e.g. Tuovinen and
Sweller, 1999). While discovery learning is very popular, it is often used inappropriately, to
teach novices (Kirschner et al, 2006). According to Kirschner et al, learners should be given
some direct instruction first, and then later, be allowed to apply what they have learned.

People can "learn by doing." A debate in the instructional community now questions the
effectiveness of this model of instruction (Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark, 2006). Bruner (1961)
suggested students are more likely to remember concepts if they discover them on their own.
This is as opposed to those they are taught directly. However, Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark
(2006) report there is little empirical evidence to support discovery learning. Kirschner et al
suggest that fifty years of empirical data does not support those using these unguided methods
of instruction.

A Selection of Links on Discovery Learning:
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/discoverylearn/index.htm

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/discovery.html

http://udel.edu/~jconway/EDST666.htm







A Brief Summary of Inquiry Teaching & Learning


Inquiry-based learning describes a range of various philosophical, curricular and pedagogical
approaches to teaching. Its core premises include the requirement that learning should be based
around student questions. Pedagogy and curriculum requires students to work independently to
solve problems rather than receiving direct instructions on what to do from the teacher. Teachers
are viewed as facilitators of learning rather than vessels of knowledge. The teachers job in an
inquiry learning environment is therefore not to provide knowledge, but instead to help students
along the process of discovering knowledge themselves.

Inquiry-based learning is an instructional method developed during a popular discovery learning
movement of the 1960s. It was developed in response to a perceived failure of more traditional
forms of instruction, where students were required simply to memorize fact laden instructional
materials (Bruner, 1961). Inquiry learning is a form of active learning, where progress gained by
students is assessed by how well students develop experimental and analytical skills rather than
how much knowledge they possess. Inquiry instruction is popular, but like other approaches, its effectiveness is open to debate.

Characteristics of inquiry-learning
The teacher does not communicate knowledge, but is rather there to help students to learn for themselves. Teachers are facilitators of Learning not dispensors of Learning.
The topic, problem to be studied, and methods used to answer this problem are determined by the student and not the teacher. Teachers guide the students to self-learning and life-long learning.
Inquiry learning emphasizes constructivist ideas of learning. Knowledge is built in a step-wise fashion. Learning proceeds best in group situations. Groups might be better known as Teams.

A Selection of URLs for Inquiry Teaching and Learing:
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html
http://inquiry.uiuc.edu/ @@@ http://www.youthlearn.org/learning/activities/howto.asp @@@
http://www.beavton.k12.or.us/jacob_wismer/resources/science/science_inquiry_questions.htm