Some subscribers to Phys-L might be interested in a recent post
"Latest Doceamus against inquiry-based learning" [Hake (2010)]. The
abstract reads:
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ABSTRACT: A recent thread "Latest Doceamus against inquiry-based
learning" on the "Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education"
(RUME) list has discussed an article by Sweller, Clark, & Kirschner
(SCK) (2010) titled "Teaching General Problem-Solving Skills is Not a
Substitute for, or a Viable Addition to, Teaching Mathematics"
<http://bit.ly/i7wori> and published in the November 2010 issue of
"Notices of the AMS."
Math-problem guru Alan Schoenfeld wrote: "Sweller and colleagues set
up a straw man, the notion of 'general problem solving' as a
counterpoint to mathematical knowledge [but] there are techniques of
mathematical problem solving, and there's plenty of evidence that
students can learn them, so the opposition Sweller and colleagues use
to frame their paper is nonsensical. . . . ."
Sweller and colleagues have previously set up straw men - the title
of their tract "Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not
Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery,
Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Teaching"
<http://bit.ly/duJVG4> invokes the straw men "Minimal Guidance" and
"Failure" but critics of Sweller et al. point out that these methods
are generally neither: (a) "un-guided or minimally guided," nor (b)
"failures."
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REFERENCES [URL shortened by <http://bit.ly/> and accessed on 09
December 2010.]
Hake, R.R. 2010. "Latest Doceamus against inquiry-based learning,"
online on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at <http://bit.ly/etl0dc>. Post
of 8 Dec 2010 19:58:52-0800 to AERA-L and Net-Gold. The abstract and
link to the complete post are being distributed to various discussion
lists and are also on my blog "Hake'sEdStuff" at
<http://bit.ly/fFzJn8> with a provision for comments.