RESEARCH PAPER

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction
EDUC 5312: CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

Name: Murat Karaoglu Date: 6/16/2019

Instructional Project 3

Directions:

This is a research assignment. Use your textbook, web articles, and NAU library to conduct research
when writing this paper.

Use APA style references and in-text- citations. You need to use at least 3 different resources
besides Castronova (2002), and Moore (2015).

Part 1. DISCOVERY LEARNING:

Download and read the following article:

 Castronova, J. A. (2002). Discovery learning for the 21st century: What is it and how
does it compare to traditional learning in effectiveness in the 21st century. Action
Research Exchange, 1(1), 1-12. Retrieved from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.594.6363&rep=rep1&type=pdf
 After reading this article and conducting additional research, answer to the following
questions.

What is discovery learning?

Discovery learning is a constructivist instructional model that uses a student- driven problem solving
process. According to Bicknell-Holmes and Hoffman (as cited in Castronova, 2002), the three main
attributes of discovery learning are: 1) exploration and problem solving, 2) student-driven and
interest-based activities, and 3) integration of new and background knowledge.
Based on the level of the problem that teachers want their students to discover, discovery learning
can be planned and administered as guided, modified, or open discoveries (Moore, 2015). General
scientific method of an investigation throughout a discovery learning process include identifying
problem, developing possible solutions, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting data, and testing
solutions.
How does this form of teaching compare to traditional, teacher-centered instruction?

In the traditional teacher-centered or direct teaching instruction, teacher is the main provider of the
information so this model is sometimes called active teaching. Discovery learning on the other hand,
is a model in which the students are actively involved in their own learning. Student motivation
sources of direct teaching are mostly extrinsic whereas those of discovery learning are intrinsic. This
motivation comes from the activity itself as well as the excitement of the students for being
involvement in their learning process (Moore, 2015). The pace of learning depends on the teacher in
teacher-centered instruction so students are not given so many opportunities to make important
decisions for their learning. However, discovery learning lets students learn in their own pace.
Grades are based on the final product in traditional instruction. Students fail if the questions on
assignments are not answered correctly. Discovery learning focuses on the process, not product.
Students learn how to analyze and interpret the information in order to learn in a much deeper level
so that the transfer of that knowledge to different contexts and situations can occur. Whereas in
teacher-centered instruction, students are expected to memorize the information to give one correct
answer. Failure is seen as an important part of the process in discovery learning as opposed to
traditional methods of instruction due to the fact that success comes through failure. Castronova
(2002) states that learning is incomplete without feedback. When students discuss their ideas with
their teachers and peers, they learn better. However, Moore (2015) states that there is lack of
competition in discovery learning which leads to lack of feedback as to how much learning is taking
place in the classroom.

What educational theories support the discovery learning model?

Educational theories that support the discovery learning are developed by the theorists John Dewey,
Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky (Castronova, 2002). Dewey believed that students need to actively
participate in group activities and build their knowledge on their important past experiences. Piaget’s
theory was mainly on the cognitive development of children. He emphasized that the reasons
children gave wrong answers to the logical questions revealed important differences in the thinking
of children and adults (McLeod, 2018). Piaget also believed that discovery is a must for
understanding and without discovery what happens is just a repetition. Vygotsky focused on the
impact of cultural influences as well as social interaction of children on their cognitive development.
He wrote that if children are supported by their peers, parents, or teachers, they will be able to solve
more complex problem than they would do by themselves. Therefore, he believed that it is crucial to
determine the current developmental level of children to build new learning experiences in the
classroom.

What is the most important thing you discovered about discovery learning?

The most important thing I have learned about discovery learning is on one of its drawbacks. I
thought that discovery learning would be an open learning environment with lots of freedom for
students to make decisions on the agenda, methods or pacing but have discovered that discovery
learning needs to be well structured by the teachers for the learning to take place in the classroom.
“It needs a solid framework, because the endless wandering and seeking for answers might be
confusing” (Pappas, 2014, para. 5). I also learned that when teachers started to use discovery
learning as open classrooms by the mid1960s, Jerome Bruner who introduced this method did not
support its unguided application (Weibell, 2011).
How can you apply this method to your future classroom?

I believe that there is a lot to discover for my students in my math classes. I can start with planning
and executing a problem solving process using the guided discovery method. Most topics of
geometry or trigonometry such as Pythagorean Theorem, Euler’s formula, Fibonacci numbers,
golden ratio or Law of Sines/Cosines can provide many opportunities for discovery learning. I can
identify the problem that I want students work on and decide how I want them to investigate it. I can
let students develop their own creative approaches by collaborating with each other in small groups.

Part 2. ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS

 Select one of the following chapters to conduct research: Chapter 2, 3, 5 or 12. Review
the chapter and respond to related questions for that chapter by conducting your own
research.

Chapter 2- Teaching Diverse Students

1. Teaching all students. Remember that a teacher’s job is to teach all students and assume an
attitude that all students can learn. Research techniques and strategies that can be used to
accomplish this task. Sources of information include the library, the Internet, current journals, and
recent books.

Meeting the needs of all students in today’s diverse classrooms is a challenging task for teachers.
Identifying the needs, strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and interests of students is crucial to know
them and build good relationships with them. Student differences require teachers to adapt the
physical environment in their classrooms as well as their instructional strategies so that they can
accommodate the needs of their students (Moore, 2015). Also, research shows that students
perform better when you set higher expectations for them and hold them to these expectations
(Good & Brophy, as cited in Moore, 2015).Therefore, viewpoints and actions of teachers really affect
the motivation and self-confidence of students.

Differentiated instruction can be considered as one of the most important teacher practices in diverse
classrooms. McCarthy (2014) states that teachers must connect content, process, and product and
students respond to learning based on their current skill levels, background or choices, and brain
intelligences. Differentiating content means adapting the curriculum, knowledge, concepts, and skills.
For example, content of a unit or a concept can be covered in certain chunks. Students can pick the
concepts/topics they want to work on based on their interests. Teachers need to let their students
make sense of and digest what they are learning. This can be achieved by differentiated process
using different classroom activities such as think-pair-share, gallery walk, partner talk, and fish bowl,
etc. Product can be differentiated by given students different choices to show their knowledge and
understanding of concepts and skills they learned. Students can also propose their own ideas for the
format of the products.

2. Intelligence profile. Evaluate your own intelligence profile according to Gardner. In what frames
of mind (intelligence areas) do you come out strongest?
When I evaluate my own intelligence profile according to Gardner’s Eight Areas of Intelligence
profile, I can easily say that my strongest areas are logical-mathematical as well as spatial
intelligences.

Core components of logical-mathematical intelligence in this profile are ability to use mathematics
and numbers; sensitivity to and capacity to discern logical and numerical patterns; and ability to
handle long chains of reasoning. I think I am really good at solving problems involving calculations,
classifications, and puzzles. Moreover, my visual and spatial intelligence is also strong when
compared to other areas of intelligence in Gardner’s profile. I can easily and accurately perceive the
visual/spatial world such as buildings, maps, visual arts, pictures, imagination games, and models. I
think that my background in my former career, interior architecture and environmental design and
current profession as a math teacher show that I have chosen careers based on my strongest
intelligences.

Chapter 3- Managing Classroom Environment

1. Discipline approaches. Analyze the three approaches to classroom management. Which

approach, if any, do you prefer? Can you put together parts of the different approaches and come up
with an eclectic approach that you think would work for you? Can you identify some basic concepts
that appear to be true of all three approaches?

2. Causes of misbehavior. Think back over the classes you have attended in which there have
been disciplinary incidents. List the possible causes for any such misbehavior. How might knowledge
of the causes of these incidents influence a teacher’s actions? Some behavior problems are teacher
created and some are student centered. Can you think of examples?

Chapter 5- Using Classroom Technology

1. How does technology enhance the teacher’s ability to plan instruction? Use one of the available
search engines to explore the web for technological tools such as lesson planning software,
worksheets and puzzle tools, poster and bulletin board production tools, and time management tools
that will assist you in planning. Share your findings with your class.

2. Technology offers tools that can help students learn. To what technology should students have
access? Do you have any educational concerns about the use of these technologies in schools? If
so, what are they? If not, why not?

Chapter 12- Teaching Effective Thinking Strategies

1. Teaching methods. What teaching methods and procedures can be used to improve students’
critical thinking abilities? Creative thinking abilities?
2. Thinking. What type of thinking is emphasized in most schools? Is critical thinking rewarded?
Creative thinking? Is school success based on students’ ability to think critically? Creatively?
3. The environment. What type of classroom environment would be conducive to developing critical
thinking? Creative thinking? What problems can you foresee in establishing this environment?

Part 3. REFERENCES:
 Cite at least 5 References in APA.
 You need to use at least 3 different resources besides Castronova (2002), and Moore
(2015).
 You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal for citing your sources
in APA style.

References:

Castronova, J. A. (2002). Castronova, J.A. (2002). Discovery learning for the 21st century: What is it
and how does it compare to traditional learning in effectiveness in the 21st century. Action
Research Exchange, 1 (1), 1-12.

McCarthy, J. (2015, August 28). 3 ways to plan for diverse learners: What teachers do. Retrieved
from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy

McLeod, S. A. (2018, June 06). Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Moore, K. D. (2015). Effective instructional strategies: From theory to practice. Los Angeles: SAGE.

Pappas, C. (2018, March 15). Instructional design models and theories: The discovery learning
model. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/discovery-learning-model

Weibell, C. J. (2011). Principles of learning: 7 principles to guide personalized, student-centered

learning in the technology-enhanced, blended learning environment. Retrieved from
https://principlesoflearning.wordpress.com/