This was a study to determine the effects of inquiry training in elementary mathematics, in both group and individualized
situations. Three experimental conditions were used. One group of grade six students received problems on area calculation and arithmetic rate problems in which not enough information was given, requiring them to acquire more data by asking questions on blank cards given to them individually for that purpose. They were then given prepared response cards in reply. A second group received the same problems with not enough information, but all questions and all responses were made orally in a classroom so that all class members could simultaneously
receive the information which one student requested. A third group received the same problem sheets, but with all necessary data present, and no new information was given them. Two short training sessions were held dealing with area calculation
and solution of arithmetic rate problems to familiarize the subjects with the nature of the learning materials. A total of 64 subjects participated in all phases of the experiment.
All subjects were given an IQ test and a pretest, parallel to the final cirterion test, consisting of problems of both an arithmetic and geometric nature, as well as area calculation. The criterion test, at the conclusion of the instructional period, consisted of the same three subdivisions,
including items both similar and dissimilar to the training materials. Each item on both the pretest and the criterion test was answerable by "not enough information" as well as by three numerical possibilities. Both pretest and criterion tests were marked twice, once to give an actual score and once to determine the correct use of the "not enough information" response. Each of the three subtests - arithmetic, geometric, and area calculation - was marked separately from the total test, as well, and they were then scored again to consider them as tests measuring the correct use of "not enough information". Thus a total of eight separate criterion scores with corresponding
pretest scores were involved.
An analysis of covariance was performed using the IQ and pretest scores as covariates. The results indicated that the group inquiry training approach was the most successful of the three approaches in that these students scored significantly
higher marks on five of the eight scores. No significant
differences were found among the other three scores. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/34244 |
| Date | January 1970 |
| Creators | Weinstein, Marian S. |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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