Reading Versus Doing: The Relative Effects of Textbook-Based and Inquiry-Oriented Approaches to Science Learning in Special Education Classrooms

Abstract

Students with learning disabilities in four special education classrooms studied two science units (magnetism and electricity, and rocks and minerals) via either an activity-based, inquiry-oriented approach or a textbook approach. The investigation was conducted over a 2-week period and employed a counterbalanced, withinsubjects design, in which all students received both treatments. Students performed significantly higher on immediate and delayed unit tests when they had learned by the inquiry-oriented approach, although vocabulary acquisition was limited in both conditions. Additionally, students reported overwhelming preference for activity-based learning over textbook approaches. Implications for special education are discussed.

Inquiry Based Learning from the Learner’s Point of View: A Teacher Candidate’s Success Story

“…Ninety-six percent enjoyed using the IBL approach, while 80% of the students found IBL activities to be more helpful in the learning process and were more motivated. Pre-and post-tests revealed that when students were taught with IBL, they learned more and remembered more than their peers taught through traditional instruction [27]. This finding is consistent with Derek's own experience with IBL.…”

“…According to Scruggs and Mastropieri [27], when using IBL in place of a textbook approach in two science units, high school special needs students yielded significantly higher achievement than their peers who used a textbook. Ninety-six percent enjoyed using the IBL approach, while 80% of the students found IBL activities to be more helpful in the learning process and were more motivated.…”

Effects of Inquiry-Based Instruction on Science Achievement for Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of the Literature

“…Science education has historically focused on students acquiring factual information presented from a textbook by the general education teacher (Anderson, 2002;Pine, Aschbacher, Roth, Jones, McPhee, Martin, & Foley, 2006;Scruggs, Mastropieri, Bakken, & Brigham, 1993;Scruggs & Mastropieri, 2007). Traditional text-book driven science instruction has not been the best means for students with disabilities to learn science content.…”

“…Traditional text-book driven science instruction has not been the best means for students with disabilities to learn science content. From a science education prospective, inquiry-based science instruction has emerged as the primary instructional method to be used in the general education setting (Maroney, Finson, Beaver, & Jensen, 2003;Scruggs et al, 1993;Scruggs & Mastropieri, 2007).…”

“…Studies ranged from small effect to large effect (Cohen, 1988). et al (2010) 96.13% 0.9908 87.59% 0.931 Smith et al (2013) 70.19% 0.8693 Group Design Studies Bay et al (1992) 2.992 (3.901, 2.082) 0.732 (6.410, -4.946) Dalton et al (1997) 1.432 (3.906, 1.041) Lynch et al (2007) 0.593 (4.056, -2.870) Mastropieri et al Scruggs et al (1993) 0.444 (-0.974, 1.861) Note. PND = percent of non-overlapping data; CI = confidence interval; ND = not determined; a Study did not provide enough information to determine effect…”