Discovery learning facts for kids
Discovery learning is a way of learning where you find answers and ideas mostly by yourself. It's like being a detective! Instead of a teacher just telling you everything, you explore, experiment, and solve problems. This method is also called problem-based learning or "learning by doing."
Famous thinkers like Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner supported this idea. Jerome Bruner is often given credit for making discovery learning popular in the 1960s. He believed that when you discover things yourself, you remember them better and can use that knowledge to solve new problems.
Discovery learning can involve many different activities. It could be figuring out a hidden pattern, explaining how something works, or even doing a science experiment. The main idea is that you're given the tools and materials, but not the exact answer. You have to find the answer yourself!
Contents
What is Discovery Learning?
Discovery learning happens when you solve problems by interacting with your surroundings. You might explore objects, discuss tricky questions, or do experiments. You use what you already know and what you've experienced to figure things out.
Key Features of Discovery Learning
Discovery learning usually has some special features:
- Less Teacher Talk: Teachers give less direct instruction.
- More Exploration: You get to explore and use hands-on materials.
- Problem Solving: You work on problems that might have many different solutions.
- Less Memorizing: It focuses less on repeating and memorizing facts.
For discovery learning to work well, a few things are important:
- Teacher Guidance: Teachers help by building on your ideas and connecting them to your experiences.
- Open Classroom: The classroom feels like a team effort. Everyone is encouraged to share ideas and ask questions.
- Student Questions: You are encouraged to ask questions, explore, and work with your teachers and friends.
The Teacher's Role in Discovery Learning
Teachers are very important in discovery learning, even though you do a lot of the work yourself. They need to:
- Give you tasks that guide your learning, using different teaching methods.
- Listen to your ideas, check if they are correct, and give you helpful feedback.
- Show you examples of how to complete tasks.
It's important that discovery learning is "teacher-assisted." Early supporters like Bruner said that you need some basic knowledge before you can discover new things. If you don't have enough basic knowledge, you might get confused or frustrated.
So, teachers help you build a strong foundation of knowledge. They do this through examples, practice, and feedback. This foundation helps you learn new information and improve your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Benefits and Challenges
Discovery learning has some great benefits. It can help you remember information for a long time. It also helps you develop a curious mind, which is great for learning throughout your life.
This method encourages you to explore and work with others to solve problems. You get to lead your own learning and be very active in the process. This can make learning more exciting and keep you motivated!
However, discovery learning also has challenges. Sometimes, students might get confusing information or make mistakes. It can be hard to learn complex procedures, like those in geometry or computer programming, just by discovering them on your own. In these cases, direct teaching can be more effective.
Assisted vs. Unassisted Discovery
There's a big discussion about how effective discovery learning is. Some researchers argue that if you discover things yourself, you'll remember them better.
Pure discovery learning means you have to find new information by doing investigations or experiments with very little help. For example, a science teacher might show you how colors look different in different light. Then, they ask you to design your own experiment to learn more. In this case, you're left to discover the answers on your own.
Some worry that if students are left completely on their own, they might learn things incorrectly, get confused, or become frustrated. Young children, especially, might struggle with pure discovery because they don't have a lot of existing knowledge to connect new information to.
Research suggests that pure discovery learning might not help students learn problem-solving rules very well. While some learning methods based on discovery can be good, pure discovery often lacks enough structure to be truly helpful.
On the other hand, assisted discovery (or guided instruction) is often better. This is where teachers provide examples, give clear explanations, and offer feedback. Practicing new ideas also helps improve problem-solving skills.
It seems that the best way to learn might be a balance between direct teaching and assisted discovery.
Discovery Learning and Special Needs
Some experts wonder if discovery learning is the best way for students with special needs to learn in regular classrooms. They argue that for these students to learn facts and skills successfully, they often need to be taught directly. This means the teacher is in charge of the lesson and gives information directly to the students.
This idea is especially strong for students who struggle with math. Researchers suggest that students with math difficulties need clear, direct teaching. This teaching should also try to guess what misunderstandings students might have and explain things very precisely.
However, there aren't many studies that look at the long-term results of direct teaching. Some studies suggest that direct teaching might not always be better than other methods in the long run. Other researchers are working on ways to combine discovery learning and group work to help all students, including those with special needs. But it's still being explored how successful these strategies are over time.
How Discovery Learning Affects Your Brain
When you learn, your brain has a "working memory" that can only handle so much information at once. Researchers have found that exploring a very complex topic without guidance can put a heavy load on your working memory. This can make it harder to learn, especially for beginners.
If you're just starting to learn something new, you might not have enough existing knowledge to connect with the new information. This can make pure discovery learning difficult. Experts suggest that guided instruction, where you get more help, can be a better way to learn. Guided instruction can help you remember facts right away and also improve your problem-solving skills for the long term.
Enhanced Discovery Learning
Enhanced discovery learning is a way to make discovery learning even better. It means getting you ready for the discovery task by giving you the knowledge you need beforehand. The teacher also helps you during the task. This preparation and help might include some direct teaching.
For example, before asking you to figure out how to stretch a muscle in cold weather, your teacher might first teach you basic facts about muscles and how they react to temperature changes.
Another part of enhanced discovery learning is letting you come up with your own ideas about a topic and then explaining your thinking. A teacher might give you examples of how to solve similar problems before you start a discovery task. You might even work through a problem out loud, sharing your thoughts. The teacher can ask questions and help you turn your thoughts into general rules for solving problems. As more students share their ideas, everyone can create and test more rules together.
See also
- Active learning
- Cognitive load
- Constructivism (learning theory)
- Inquiry-based learning
- Jerome Bruner
- Moore method
- Problem-based learning
- Progressive education
- Science education
