Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of film-mediated intensive instruction on basic problem-solving skills of ninth graders

  • Articles
  • Published:
ECTJ Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

How can junior high students sharpen thetr problem-solving skills? Can they be taught to observe accurately, analyze variables, and then generate a hypothesis? A number of approaches to this problem have been tried experimentally. In this study, ninth graders in two experimental groups watched a filmloop from Suchman’s Inquiry Development Program repeatedly until they could name 75 details or generate 5 hypotheses. The control and experimental groups then watched three more filmloops and were tested on both number and quality of details named, questions asked, and hypotheses generated. The assessment was repeated more than a year later with different filmloops. The results suggest that instruction in cue attendance, and perhaps hypotheses generation, would benefit junior high school students, not only immediately, but also in the long run.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Attneave, F.Application of information theory to psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1959.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker, R. H.Development and evaluation of a method of structuring inquiry films to elicit hypotheses from high school chemistry students. Paper presented at the 43rd annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Minneapolis, 1970.

  • Berlyne, D.Structure and direction in thinking. New York: Wiley, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. D.Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, R. K.An analysis of the effectiveness of biological science curriculum study single topic films m teaching hypothesis construction to high school biology students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, 1967.

  • Quinn, M. E. Hypothesis formation can be taught.The Science Teacher, September 1971, pp. 30–31.

  • Salomon, G.Cue attendance and hypothesis generation as two procedures for producing uncertainty in teachers (U.S. Office of Education Technical Report 14). Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University, 1970. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 045 622).

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomon, G., & Sieber, J. E. Relevant subjective response uncertainty as a function of stimulus-task interaction.American Educational Research Journal, May 1970, 7(3), 337–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suchman, J. R. Inquiry training: Building skills for autonomous discovery.Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 1961, 7, 147–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suchman, J. R.Developing inquiry: Inquiry development program in physical science. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, MD

    Emmett L. Wright (Assistant Professor of Secondary Education)

Authors
  1. Emmett L. Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wright, E.L. Effect of film-mediated intensive instruction on basic problem-solving skills of ninth graders. ECTJ 26, 207–214 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766605

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766605

Keywords

Search

Navigation