Conflict Story

The establishment of a plastic factory in your community means employment of people from the community but it may also mean pollution of air and river and contamination of water supply. Whats the right thing to do?

Motivation

Objectives:
1. Definition of discovery approach 2. Difference between discovery approach and traditional approach 3. Describe the process of Discovery approach 4. Sharing their experiences in learning through discovery approach 5. Actively involved in the process of discovery

Chapter 3 :
Some Leading Teaching Approaches

Every person must necessarily have his own philosophy of life. Without it, his life eventually becomes both directionless and meaningless.

Similarly, a teacher must evolve his own teaching approach. While a philosophy of life is highly personal and, therefore, subjective, teaching approach is objective, enlightened, and universal in its application.

Specific approaches in teaching

1)Discovery 2)Conceptual 3)Process 4)Inquiry 5)Unified

Discovery
Approach

Teacher A:
At the beginning of the days lesson, he states the expected outcome of the activity or the learning experience. He usually starts the lesson by saying what the whole lesson is all about, what it is leading to.

Teacher B:
He asks the class to answer a series of questions. Every time the students cannot give the correct answer, he gives the answer himself. Afterwards, he just tells some students to repeat it.

Teacher C
More often than not, he inquires similar questions like Class, did you not notice in our lesson that the common pattern is? Again, class what pattern did you see?

Meaning of the Discovery Approach

Several authorities give the following definitions of this approach :

1. Discovery approach stresses the learning of concepts, theories, principles, and content through discovery rather than rote memorization. (Anderson, 1969) 2. It is not only the act of finding out something unknown before mankind but also includes all forms of obtaining knowledge for oneself by the use of ones own mind (Rowe, 1973)

3. It is the act of an individual using his mental processes (cognitive abilities) to derives a concept or principle. A discovery activity is a lesson designed to help students discover concepts or principles for themselves. It is a matter of rearranging data internally so new concepts are formed. It involves finding the meanings, the organization, the structure of the ideas (Jarin and Sund, 1971)

4. Its main emphasis is on the teacher not telling the students the principle or generalization or rule which they are supposed to learn (Ausubel, 1961)

5. It means that after selecting a body of subject matter, to be learned, the exposition and exercises are designated that the learner will discover for himself principles and rules (Hendrix, 1961)

6. It is a matter of rearranging or transferring evidence. It is a type of thinking. This type of thinking occurs in such a way that the individual discoverer beyond the information given to new insights and generalization. (Bruner)
7. It is a process in which the students, led by the momentum of the information which has been presented to him makes correct inferences

8. It involves the sudden assimilation of perceived data into the existing framework of a conceptual system. 9. It means that after selecting a body of subject matter to be learned, the exposition and exercises are so designated that the learner will discover for himself principles and roles.

10. It allows the student to become active in the learning process. He must engage in doing, manipulating materials and interpreting results. As a result, he discover something.
11. A process by which under subtle direction logical process of comparison, and generalization and (Lardizabal) the children go through observation, abstraction, application.

Types of Discovery Approach

Guided Discovery
The teacher tries to draw out from his pupils certain bits of information through properly organized question and explanation leading them to the eventual discovery of particular concepts or principles Pure Discovery The pupils are expected to arrive at certain concepts and principles completely by themselves.

Nature of the Discovery Approach

This approach pertains basically to cognitive aspects of learning: the development and organization of concepts, ideas and insights and the use of reference and other logical processes to control a situation. It generally requires the structuring of the environment so that the learner is led to exciting new discoveries.

It is inductive, proceeding from known and specific facts to unknown and general ones.

Freedom is necessary. It is student-centered as well as self-directed learning.

Role of the Teacher in the Discovery Approach

 He is no longer regarded
as the fountain head of knowledge

He does not pressure his students but he gives them enough time to formulate the expected generalization.

He should be able to guide them with clues when they get clogged in the process of discovery.

He should avoid indicating anything or share ideas which will shut off the spirit of discovery among his students.

Some Guidelines in the use of the Discovery Approach

Discovery should be based on a stable ground.

Students must first understand the problem very well.

The teacher should not answer for the students; he can give clues and hints instead. He does not announce to students exactly what activities will take place.

Game: Draw Me.

Instructional Characteristics
The students gains first-hand experience The use of all senses makes observation keen and reliable Learning becomes permanent Develops Critical Thinking The joy and pride in discovering is worth all the time and effort spent Developing independence and personal excitement.

How the learners are benefited from learning by discovery.

This mode of learning gives intrinsic reward to students since they are conscious that they are the ones who discover things for themselves. There is real joy and happiness because they know they have achieved something. Because of the feeling of success in them, the teacher will easily arouse their interest and involvement in the learning activity.

Bruner, one of the most influential exponents of learning by discovery, summarized the benefits students may get from this kind of learning as :

1. The increase of intellectual potency - learning is geared to the development of high mental processes like analysis, synthesis, and judgment.

2. The shift sfrom extrinsic to intrinsic rewards- If the learner knows that he can find out things for himself, he feels that he can achieve something and can experience some amount of success. Success may drive him to greater achievement. He will eventually experience real joy and selfsatisfaction.

3. The learning of the heuristics of discoveringLearning by discovery engages the student to learn how to learn. In finding out things for himself, he needs to develop and acquire several learning skills. If he does not possess such skills, he may not certainly be capable of learning by discovery. 4. The aid to conserving memory- If one discovers knowledge by himself, he will most likely not forget it since learning by discovery involves an internalization of knowledge. If he does not internalize knowledge, he ends up forgetting it which usually occurs when his teacher spoonfeeds him.

Clarifying learning by Discovery

1. What is to be discovered? The end of teaching in a discovery-oriented lesson is the acquisition of knowledge. To make learning by discovery a success, the expected answer should be formulated. 2. Who are to discover knowledge? - The students and not the teacher should be actively involved in the process of discovery. The teacher should assist them during such process and not steal the show for them.

3. How is knowledge discovered by students viewed firstly by the students and secondly by teacher? Students look at the knowledge that they have discovered as something new to them. When they engaged in the process of discovery, there is something unknown that they must be able to find out for themselves either to answer a question, to solve a pressing problem, or to simply satisfy their curiosity.

Group Activity
The class will be divided into 5 groups. Each group will compose a song about what they learned from Discovery Approach. They have 15-20 minutes to prepare.

Assignments Write a short essay about your experience in discovering something. (Short Bond Paper)