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Exploring problem-finding to prepare fifth-grade students for learning science concepts
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Type
Thesis
Author
Kom, Mun Siong
Supervisor
Manu Kapur
Chen, Der-Thanq
Abstract
While there is a growing body of evidence on the efficacy of having students solve problems on novel concepts prior to receiving explicit instruction, little is known about the efficacy of having students find problems in order to prepare them to learn from the subsequent explicit instruction of target science concepts. Premised on a review of literature from two major sources, namely Preparation for Future Learning and past studies in science education involving students asking questions during the learning process, this doctoral research comprises a series of four Pilot Studies and three experimental Main Studies on problem-finding among fifth-grade mixed ability students in two elementary schools. Conceived as an exploratory research on preparatory problem-finding, the Main Studies were carried out to examine three issues.
Main Studies 1, 2A and 2B examined the first and overarching issue on whether problem-finding, with and without producing provisional answers to the problems, helped prepare students to learn target science concepts from the subsequent explicit instruction. The second issue, addressed specifically by Main Study 1, revolved around the effect of manipulating the order of student problem-finding activity and explicit concept instruction on students’ learning of the target science concepts. The third issue was related to the question of how students’ participation in the problem-finding activity, that is individually or collaboratively, might affect students’ learning of the target science concepts.
Findings from the Main Studies yielded some preliminary evidence on the efficacy of problem-finding on students’ concept learning. Specifically, findings of Main Study 1 revealed that students who collaboratively found problems with provisional answers before and after explicit concept instruction improved on their target concept test performances whereas improvement of test performance for students who received only explicit instruction was not conclusive. Findings from Main Study 2A and 2B also suggested that getting students to produce provisional answers to their own problems did not appear to confer them an advantage in learning the target concepts compared to peers who only found problems without corresponding provisional answers. Findings also suggested two previously unexamined factors, namely duration of problem-finding vis-à-vis explicit target concept instruction, and contrasting cases quantity in the problem-finding task, might have moderated the efficacy of problem-finding.
Pulling together and synthesizing from findings of individual Main Studies led to the conception of fresh lines of inquiry which, with future studies, can potentially lead to two new theorizations. The first, preliminary termed co-dividual learning, challenges the traditional dichotomous view of designing for individual or collaborative learning. This notion may be concretized and rendered useful in the form of a set of cognitive process based criteria to help determine when, for an instructional activity, it might be better for learners to collaborate, and when learning individually might be more ideal. The second theorization centers on the coupling of problem-finding and problem-solving processes to constitute a preparatory activity that might be more efficacious than either problem-solving or problem finding alone in preparing students to learn from subsequent explicit concept instruction.
While it must be recognized that conclusions from the studies reported in this thesis are tentative and hence premature to attempt any generalization of the findings, this research as a whole has surfaced some assumptions underlying extant research on Preparation for Future Learning, as well as laid a clear path for future empirical work designed to strengthen the evidential base of the case for problem-finding in learning science concepts. It has also given rise to two lines of inquiry that when carefully pursued can potentially lead to new theorizations on a nondualist mode of student participation in learning activities, and on a coupling of two distinct problem-based processes for stronger preparatory activity effect.
Main Studies 1, 2A and 2B examined the first and overarching issue on whether problem-finding, with and without producing provisional answers to the problems, helped prepare students to learn target science concepts from the subsequent explicit instruction. The second issue, addressed specifically by Main Study 1, revolved around the effect of manipulating the order of student problem-finding activity and explicit concept instruction on students’ learning of the target science concepts. The third issue was related to the question of how students’ participation in the problem-finding activity, that is individually or collaboratively, might affect students’ learning of the target science concepts.
Findings from the Main Studies yielded some preliminary evidence on the efficacy of problem-finding on students’ concept learning. Specifically, findings of Main Study 1 revealed that students who collaboratively found problems with provisional answers before and after explicit concept instruction improved on their target concept test performances whereas improvement of test performance for students who received only explicit instruction was not conclusive. Findings from Main Study 2A and 2B also suggested that getting students to produce provisional answers to their own problems did not appear to confer them an advantage in learning the target concepts compared to peers who only found problems without corresponding provisional answers. Findings also suggested two previously unexamined factors, namely duration of problem-finding vis-à-vis explicit target concept instruction, and contrasting cases quantity in the problem-finding task, might have moderated the efficacy of problem-finding.
Pulling together and synthesizing from findings of individual Main Studies led to the conception of fresh lines of inquiry which, with future studies, can potentially lead to two new theorizations. The first, preliminary termed co-dividual learning, challenges the traditional dichotomous view of designing for individual or collaborative learning. This notion may be concretized and rendered useful in the form of a set of cognitive process based criteria to help determine when, for an instructional activity, it might be better for learners to collaborate, and when learning individually might be more ideal. The second theorization centers on the coupling of problem-finding and problem-solving processes to constitute a preparatory activity that might be more efficacious than either problem-solving or problem finding alone in preparing students to learn from subsequent explicit concept instruction.
While it must be recognized that conclusions from the studies reported in this thesis are tentative and hence premature to attempt any generalization of the findings, this research as a whole has surfaced some assumptions underlying extant research on Preparation for Future Learning, as well as laid a clear path for future empirical work designed to strengthen the evidential base of the case for problem-finding in learning science concepts. It has also given rise to two lines of inquiry that when carefully pursued can potentially lead to new theorizations on a nondualist mode of student participation in learning activities, and on a coupling of two distinct problem-based processes for stronger preparatory activity effect.
Date Issued
2018
Call Number
LB1027.42 Kom
Date Submitted
2018