Transcript What is Experimental/Discovery based learning?

Presented By: Amanda Jones, Braeden Gates, Rosanna Vallejo and Erica Cardon
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“Experiential learning takes place
when a person involved in an activity
looks back and evaluates it,
determines what was useful or important to
remember,
and uses this information to perform another
activity.”
John Dewey
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Is based on this "Aha!" method.
Is an inquiry-based learning method.
Takes place most notably in problem solving
situations where the learner draws on his own
experience and prior knowledge to discover the
truths that are to be learned.
It is a personal, internal, constructivist learning
environment.
Provides students with opportunities to develop
hypotheses to answer questions and it can
contribute to the development of a lifelong love of
learning.
◦ Students propose issues or problems, gather data and
observations to develop hypotheses, confirm or refine their
hypotheses, and explain or prove their problems.
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The idea behind discovery learning is that people understand
and remember concepts better when they have discovered
them on their own.
Discovery learning includes activities such as
experimentation, data interpretation, interviews, and
dissection. See the following examples:
◦ Experimentation: Students may learn through experimentation how the
position of the fulcrum affects the force necessary to raise a given object
using a lever.
◦ Data interpretation: Examining family trees showing which members have
a disease will allow students to determine whether the allele causing the
disease is recessive, dominant, or sex-linked.
◦ Interviews: Students can learn about integration by interviewing people in
their community who remember when the schools were segregated.
◦ Dissection: Dissecting small branches will show students that only the
green cambium layer of a tree is living and active in water and nutrient
transport.
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Children are so full of questions and curiosity. If they
had the appropriate materials and tools, we should use
them and then we will be able to answer more of their
questions and do the research to answer the questions.
It will make it possible for students to see how learning
can be both fun and exciting.
Students who are involved in creating the project
assignment gain valuable experience in setting their
own goals .This gives students a sense of ownership
and control over their own learning.
Students who can see the connection between a
project-based task and the real world will be more
motivated to understand and solve the problem at hand.
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Teachers plan classroom environment
Students examine chosen materials
at centers and through projects
Involved Learning
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Sophisticated analysis
Simulation-based/Role play
Problem solving
Experiments
Research
Learning by discovery allows students to
“manipulate, investigate, and explore.”
1
Experience
the activity;
Perform,
“Do it”
5
Apply
what was learned
to a similar or
different situation;
Practice
“Now What”
2
Share
the results,
reactions, and observations
Publicly
“What happened”
Do
Apply Reflect
4
Generalize
to connect the
experience to
real world
Examples
“So What”
3
Process
by discussing,
analyzing, reflecting
“What’s important”
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OhyH69I
QbI
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Bruner, J. Discovery Learning (Bruner). September 17, 2008, from Learning-Theories.com Web site:
http://www.learning-theories.com/discovery-learning-bruner.html
Castronova, Joyce A. (2001). Discovery Learning for the 21st Century: What is it and how does it
compare to traditional learning in effectiveness in the 21st Century?. Retrieved September 17, 2008,
Web site: http://chiron.valdosta.edu/are/Litreviews/vol1no1/castronova_litr.pdf
Clark, D. (January 22, 2000). Discovery Learning. September 12, 2008, from Web site:
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/discovery.html
Discovery Learning. September 12, 2008, from Learn NC Web site:
http://www.learnnc.org/reference/discovery%20learning
Jamison, Kathleen (1992). Web Sites on Experiential Learning. Retrieved September 17, 2008,
from Web Sites on Experiential Learning Web site:
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/learnbydoing/weblinks.html
Stone, Sandra (2004). Creating the Multiage Classroom.
St. John’s University, (2004). Program Goal IV: Instructional Strategies. Retrieved September 17, 2008,
from Education Department Web site:
http://www.csbsju.edu/EDUCATion/knowledgebase/knowledgebaseIV.htm
(1966, September). Reflections on Experimental Teaching. 19, Retrieved September 17, 2008,
from http://www.manasjournal.org/pdf_library/VolumeXIX_1966/XIX-36.pdf
(2000-2008). Hands-On Discovery In A K4 Classroom. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from Donors
Choose Web site: http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=159311
(2005). Building Motivation . Retrieved September 17, 2008, from 4 Teachers Web site:
http://www.4teachers.org/projectbased/more.shtml.