Cognitive Mechanisms of Guided Instruction in the Early Elementary Years

本研究旨在比较直接教学与引导式探究教学模式对国小早期理科学生的教学效果。引导式提问--当教师提问时，让学习者参与预测、解释和反思--已被证明在简短的实验室环境中支持知识构建和动机。然而，有学者之间的分歧如何引导查询教学风格的学习成果相比，在更传统的教育环境中的直接指令，它是未知的学习过程中涉及如何展开更长的时间，并嵌入在不同的社区的儿童。本项目通过对小学早期学生进行纵向研究来解决我们理解中的这些差距，以调查关于基本物理概念的直接和引导查询指令的短期和长期影响：物质的性质。样本包括嵌入在家庭和社区的儿童具有不同的背景，这使得观察不同的教学风格对儿童的影响与不同的先前的经验。该项目为决策过程提供信息，说明哪种教学风格最适合向不同社区的小学儿童教授科学，并正在开发一种廉价，易于扩展和随时部署的课程，可以在学校或家庭中实施。该课程将解决幼儿对物质的已知误解早于典型的课程。不同的教学风格会对认知和动机机制产生不同的影响。为了揭示直接指导学习的机制，本项目包括纵向评估儿童对物质及其相互作用的知识，以及他们在接受培训前后对科学的动机和态度。来自不同背景社区的300名小学儿童的样本将被随机分配到三个条件：（i）直接指导，（ii）引导查询;和（iii）基线条件。 所有三种情况下的儿童将在3.5年的时间内以五种不同的数据收集波进行评估。除了通过儿童的a）事实，B）解释性解释和c）关于物质及其相互作用的概念知识来评估认知机制外，该项目还通过儿童的d）好奇心，e）对科学相关任务的坚持和f）对自我和学习的态度来评估动机机制。在第一波数据收集之后，直接指导和引导查询条件下的儿童将接受六个不同教学模块提供的补充培训。处于基线状况的儿童将不会接受任何培训（在其典型的学校课程之外）。直接和引导查询指令条件之间的区别在于如何向儿童提供培训内容。在直接指导条件下，内容将通过提供事实和解释直接传递，而在引导式查询条件下，内容将在引导儿童提出问题，要求他们执行思维实验，生成预测并生成解释后传递。本研究的结果将阐明直接和引导式查询教学塑造知识建构过程和儿童对自我和学习的态度的机制。ECR计划强调基础STEM教育研究，产生该领域的基础知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响力审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The purpose of this study is to compare the results of two teaching styles: direct instruction and guided query, for early elementary students in science. Guided queries -- when teachers ask questions that engage the learner in prediction, explanation, and reflection -- have been shown to support knowledge building and motivation in brief lab settings. However, there is disagreement among scholars about how the learning outcomes of guided query teaching styles compare to those of direct instruction in more traditional education settings, and it is unknown how the learning processes involved unfold over longer times, and among children embedded in different communities. This project addresses these gaps in our understanding by conducting a longitudinal study with early elementary school students to investigate the short- and long-term effects of direct and guided query instruction about a foundational physical concept: properties of matter. The sample includes children embedded in families and communities with diverse backgrounds, which allows observations on the effects of the different teaching styles on children with different prior experiences. This project informs the decision-making process about which teaching styles are best suited for teaching science to early elementary school children across different communities and also is developing an inexpensive, easy-to-scale-up, and ready-to-deploy curriculum that could be implemented in schools or families. The curriculum will address young children's known misconceptions about matter earlier than typical curricula. Cognitive and motivational mechanisms may be differently impacted by diverse teaching styles. To shed light on the mechanisms underlying learning from direct and guided instruction, this project involves longitudinal assessment of children's knowledge about matter and its interactions, as well as of their motivation and attitudes toward science before and after receiving training. A sample of 300 early elementary school children, drawn from communities with diverse backgrounds, will be randomly assigned to three conditions: (i) Direct Instruction, (ii) Guided Query; and (iii) Baseline condition. Children in all three conditions will be assessed in five different data collection waves over a period of 3.5 years. In addition to assessing cognitive mechanisms through children's a) factual, b) causal-explanatory, and c) conceptual knowledge about matter and its interactions, the project also assesses motivational mechanisms through measures of children’s d) curiosity, e) perseverance on science related tasks, and f) attitudes toward self and learning. After Wave 1 of data collection, children in the Direct Instruction and Guided Query conditions will receive supplemental training that is delivered across six different teaching modules. Children in the Baseline condition will not receive any training (outside their typical school curricula). The difference between the Direct and Guided Query Instruction conditions is in terms of how the training content is delivered to children. In the Direct Instruction condition, the content will be delivered directly via providing facts and explanations, whereas in the Guided Query condition it will be delivered after guiding children with questions, asking them to execute thought experiments, generate predictions, and produce explanations. The results of this study will illuminate the mechanisms by which direct and guided query instruction shape the process of knowledge construction and children's attitudes toward self and learning.This project is supported by NSF's EDU Core Research (ECR) program. The ECR program emphasizes fundamental STEM education research that generates foundational knowledge in the field. Investments are made in critical areas that are essential, broad and enduring: STEM learning and STEM learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.