Here's more evidence of the value of inquiry science in elementary school,
to improve kids' skills in reading and math. [CAPS are mine.]
cheers,
Jane Jackson
USING THE LEARNING CYCLE TO TEACH BIOLOGY CONCEPTS AND REASONING PATTERNS
(2000)
by Anton E Lawson <anton.lawson@asu.edu>
Department of Biology, Arizona State University,
The learning cycle method of teaching is introduced in the context of
biology instruction. The learning cycle is a three-phase inquiry approach
consisting of exploration, term introduction, and concept application. The
approach has proven effective at helping students construct concepts and
conceptual systems as well as develop more effective reasoning patterns,
primarily because it allows students to use If/then/therefore reasoning to
test their own ideas and to participate in the knowledge construction
process. ...
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LEARNING CYCLE:
Since its inception in the 1960s, the learning cycle has been the focus of
hundreds of studies designed to assess its effectiveness. A comprehensive
review as of the late 1980s can be found in Lawson (1995). The interested
reader may consult either source for details. It suffices to say that the
learning cycle has proven very effective at teaching science concepts and
improving generalizable reasoning skills in students from first grade to
college. For example, in an early study, Renner et al. (1973) assessed
basic skills developed by a first-grade, learning cycle based, unit called
Material Objects. Control students experienced a commercial reading
readiness program. The reading readiness of both groups was evaluated by
the Metropolitan Reading Readiness Test. Over a six week period, in spite
of the fact that the learning-cycle students were not engaged in a reading
readiness program, they showed significantly greater gains in WORD MEANING,
LISTENING, MATCHING, ALPHABET, AND NUMBERS. Renner et al. (1973) also
compared students who had engaged in learning cycle based science
instruction for at least four years to students who had been taught science
using a textbook for the same length of time. They found that 5th grade,
learning cycle students were superior to the textbook students on measures
of several process skills (i.e., observing, classifying, measuring,
experimenting, interpreting, and predicting). Perhaps more importantly,
when general achievement was assessed by the Stanford Achievement Test, the
learning cycle students scored significantly higher on MATHEMATICS
applications, social studies skills, and PARAGRAPH MEANING. These results
are particularly important as they indicate that learning cycle based
instruction promotes generalizable intellectual gains. ...
References cited here are:
Lawson A E (1995). Science Teaching and the Development of Thinking.
Belmont, CA, USA: Wadsworth.
Renner J W, Stafford D G, Coffia W J, Kellogg D H, and Weber M C (1973). An
evaluation of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study. School Science and
Mathematics, 73, 291 - 318.