RESEARCH PAPER

North American University

Education Department
EDLE & CUIN
EDUC 5312: CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

Name: Akkerim Aibatbek

Date: 5/5/2023

Instructional Project 3

Part 1. DISCOVERY LEARNING:

What is discovery learning?

According to Joyce A. Castronova “discovery learning is a teaching approach to learning that can be
facilitated by particular teaching methods and guided learning strategies”.
In the introduction part the author explained the importance of discovery learning. Since the world is
changing fast and businesses want employees who can solve problems, adapt to change, and can
make the company better and more competitive, traditional ways of teaching may not be preparing
students with the skills that businesses need. This is where discovery learning comes in. It can help
students develop the skills that businesses want.

Discovery learning is a type of teaching that involves hands-on activities and encourages students to
actively explore and solve problems.
According to Bicknell-Holmes and Hoffman (2000) (Joyce A. Castronova), there are three main
characteristics of discovery learning.
- First, students are encouraged to use their knowledge to create new ideas and solve problems.
- Second, students are in charge of their own learning and can choose activities based on their
interests.
- Lastly, the goal is to help students integrate new knowledge with what they already know.

● In the first one, students become active in creating and understanding knowledge by exploring
and solving problems. Instead of just listening to lectures or practicing skills repeatedly, they
participate in activities that encourage them to take risks, think critically, and learn from their
experiences. This approach puts the responsibility on the students, instead of the teacher.
It can be difficult for some teachers to adjust to this new way of teaching because it changes
their role in the classroom.
● Second characteristic is that it allows students to learn at their own speed. Unlike traditional
teaching methods that follow a set sequence of lessons and activities, discovery learning
provides flexibility in how and when students engage with the material.
● And last one is students can use their prior knowledge as a foundation to create new
knowledge and come up with new ideas and insights.
How does this form of teaching compare to traditional, teacher-centered instruction?

According to the article by Castronova J.A. What is discovery learning? discovery learning differs
from traditional forms of learning in several ways.
- First, it is an active form of learning where students take an active role in creating and
understanding knowledge, rather than simply receiving information passively.
- Second, the focus is on the process of learning rather than just the content, which allows for
greater flexibility and adaptability to individual student needs.
- Third, failure is seen as an important part of the learning process, as it can help students
identify areas where they need to improve and encourage them to keep trying.
- Fourth, feedback is essential in discovery learning, as it helps students understand how they
are doing and what they can do to improve.
- Finally, discovery learning is believed to lead to a deeper understanding of the material being
learned, as students are actively engaged in creating and integrating their own knowledge.

What educational theories support the discovery learning model?

According to the article by Castronova, J. A. Theory Base of Discovery Learning, the theories
developed by John Dewey (1916/1997), Jean Piaget (1954, 1973), and Lev Vygotsky (Rice & Wilson,
1999) form the basis for discovery learning.

John Dewey
In his book Democracy and Education , John Dewey said that learning happens when people interact
and work together to build knowledge based on past experiences. He thought that children are
naturally curious and want to learn. He also believed that learning happens when people talk and work
together. Dewey started a school (Laboratory School at the University of Chicago) to prove his theory
where children learned by doing things like building a playhouse to learn math. He thought that
learning should be active and people should work together to understand things that are important to
them.

Jean Piaget
Piaget said in To Understand is to Invent (1973) that understanding things comes from discovering
them on your own. If you don't understand something, you might just repeat what you were told
without being creative. Piaget believed that kids don't think the same way as grown-ups. He was the
first to show that kids aren't just empty containers waiting to be filled with knowledge, but they actually
create their own knowledge. Piaget thought kids were always making new ideas and checking if they
were right, in other words, they actively learn.

Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky believed that the people and culture around a child play a big role in their learning and
cognitive development (Rice & Wilson, 1999). He introduced theoretical concept of the "zone of
proximal development," which means that a child can do more difficult things with help than they could
do alone.
For example, a kindergartner who has gone to many different places with their parents and learned a
lot about different things will have an easier time learning new things in school than a kindergartner
who hasn't had those experiences. Vygotsky believed that teachers could help students learn better by
figuring out what the students already know and building on that knowledge to help them learn more.
In my opinion, these theories share the common characteristics of describing learning as an active,
process-oriented, and collaborative process.

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

The most important thing I have discovered about discovery learning is that it is a teaching approach
that emphasizes student-centered learning and self-directed learning. I knew about discovery learning
before, but after reading the article I have discovered the 5 architectures for discovery learning.

These five architectures are:

1) case-based learning, or learning from examples
2) incidental learning, learning by chance
3) learning by exploring/conversing,
4) learning by reflection, or by thinking back on experiences
5) simulation-based learning.

The one I found very insightful and interesting is incidental learning.

According to the article by Castronova, J. A. What are the Architectures of Discovery learning?
Incidental learning is a fun way of discovering new things. It happens when students learn something
while doing an activity that's not directly related to the topic. It's like learning something by accident.
Students enjoy incidental learning because it often takes the form of a game. It's useful for learning
boring or repetitive topics, which may not seem very interesting to students.
Example from the article: a classroom game show or crossword puzzle can be an incidental learning
activity. Students may become interested in the topic because they want to do the activity and need to
know the information to participate. Incidental learning can also create opportunities for students to
discover more about the topic.

The second thing I discovered about discovery learning are pros and cons of the method.
A significant advantage of the discovery learning method is its capacity to motivate students. It allows
them to explore and learn about things that interest them, making learning more engaging. In a study
about archaeology and anthropology, students who learned through a discovery method were more
motivated, organized, and active in the learning process than those who learned through traditional
lectures. It's easy to see why students would have more fun digging up artifacts and learning about the
past in this hands-on way than simply reading about it in a book.

The other side is that the grade-level system and limited time frame of the school year can make it
difficult for teachers to give students the necessary time to discover the content they need to learn.
Discovery learning does not always fit well into this structured approach to education and may not be
ideal for fact-based subjects that require specific knowledge to be taught within a limited time frame.

How can you apply this method to your future classroom?

In my opinion, discovery learning is a great way to get students excited about learning. And I teach at
Virtual School, and that makes it easier to apply this method to my current classroom. I will definitely
start by using WebQuests.

“A WebQuest is a type of activity that uses the Internet to help students complete a task. There are six
important parts to a WebQuest: Introduction, Task, Resources, Process, Guidance, and Conclusion.
WebQuests have many benefits that are also found in discovery learning.” Castronova, J. A.
WebQuests as a Viable First Step.

My only concern was that discovery learning can not meet standardized testing requirements, follow
fact-based curricula, but according to the research, WebQuests are a way to combine the benefits of
discovery learning with the realities of schools and they can help improve test scores by focusing on
testing objectives and guiding students towards the content they need to learn.

According to the article by Kristian Krisyk https://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/why-is-discovery-

learning-vital-for-college-success/ we can also start by designing open-ended tasks that encourage
students to explore new ideas and concepts. These tasks can be project-based, inquiry-based, or
problem-based. Open-ended tasks allow students to generate multiple solutions and encourage them
to take ownership of their learning. They can do video presentations, individual projects or data-based
projects.

Moreover, since collaboration is a critical component of discovery learning, we can encourage

collaboration by creating opportunities for students to work in pairs or small groups. Collaborative
learning allows students to share ideas, perspectives, and strategies, and it fosters a sense of
community and teamwork.

Part 2. ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS - 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?
There are many teaching methods and procedures that can be used to enhance students’ critical
thinking and creative thinking abilities.

One of the most effective teaching methods to improve critical thinking is inquiry-based learning. This
approach involves asking open-ended questions and encouraging students to analyze, interpret, and
evaluate information to arrive at their own conclusions. It promotes active engagement and challenges
students to think deeply and critically about a given topic.

Another teaching method to improve critical thinking is problem-based learning. This approach
involves presenting students with real-world problems and challenges and encouraging them to use
critical thinking skills to solve them. It helps students develop problem-solving skills and fosters
creativity and innovation.

Also, the discovery learning method, which I included in the first part is one of the most effective
methods where students can enhance not only their critical thinking skill, but creative thinking and
problem solving skills.

Herbert Nold. Polk State College

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
https://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/

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?

According to the research paper: Critical Thinking in the Classroom…and Beyond by Linda M.
Murawski, EdD Critical thinking has been called “the art of thinking about thinking” (Ruggiero, V.R.,
2012) with the intent to improve one’s thinking.

In most schools, the type of thinking emphasized is primarily analytical and logical thinking. Students
are taught to solve problems using deductive and inductive reasoning, and to arrive at conclusions
based on evidence and facts. This type of thinking is essential in many academic disciplines and is
highly valued in the workforce. However, it is not the only type of thinking that should be emphasized
in schools.

Acknowledging that critical thinking is an important skill is fundamental. Critical thinking can be taught
and should be taught in a directed manner providing students with practice while evaluating and
testing ideas. Critical thinking is not a natural byproduct of taking college courses, even courses
whose subject matter necessitate critical thinking for success. In Developing Critical Thinkers, Stephen
Brookfield (1987) emphasizes that “a willingness to risk experimentation in one’s teaching is an
important aspect of modeling change and promoting critical openness in learners” (p.81). To that end,
educators influence whether a student will learn critical thinking skills in their academic journey

Creative thinking, which involves generating new ideas and solutions, is also important for success in
many fields. In fact, a study by the World Economic Forum found that creativity will be one of the top
three most important job skills by 2025 (WEF, 2020). However, creative thinking is often not rewarded
in traditional academic settings. Instead, students are expected to conform to existing knowledge and
solve problems within a set of predetermined parameters.

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?

To foster the development of critical thinking skills in a classroom, certain factors should be given
priority. These factors include active engagement, which can be achieved by encouraging students to
participate in discussions, debates, and activities that require them to think deeply about the topic
being studied. Additionally, an open-minded environment should be created where students are
encouraged to challenge assumptions and respect diverse opinions and perspectives. Inquiry should
also be encouraged to foster curiosity and a desire to learn, which is crucial for critical thinking skills
development. Problem-solving opportunities should be provided through real-life scenarios, allowing
students to analyze information and make informed decisions. Reflection should also be encouraged
through self-assessment, journaling, and other reflective activities to help students identify their
strengths and areas for improvement. By implementing these elements in the classroom, teachers can
create a conducive learning environment that promotes critical thinking and equips students with the
necessary skills for success in academia and beyond.

Part 3. REFERENCES:
References:

Bruner, J. S. (1961). The act of discovery. Harvard Educational Review, 31(1), 21-32.

Herbert Nold. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Joyce A. Castronova. Discovery Learning for the 21st Century: What is it and how does it compare to
traditional learning in effectiveness in the 21st Century?

Linda M. Murawski, EdD Critical Thinking in the Classroom…and Beyond