Guided-Discovery Instruction

Write one-page response describing major aspects of what you experienced and know about guided-discovery instruction? What classroom implications this may have?

It is hypothesized that, ‘A guide on the side is better than a sage on the stage’. For me, this may explain what guided discovery instruction means. A guided discovery is a constructivist instructional design model that combines principles from discovery learning, and sometimes, radical constructivism with principles from cognitivist instructional design theory.

In guided discovery learning, learners work on their own to discover, understand and develop knowledge and experience. Nevertheless, the teacher’s role is to watch his/her learners, providing appropriate situations. That is why it requires adequate planning from the teacher’s side to increase the learners’ attainments and achievements. The teacher can successfully stimulate his/her learners by stating a series of questions or assumptions that may lead to the learners’ involvement that finally lead to a logical conclusion. These questions trigger the learners’ recognition, analysis, hypotheses, memorizing, inquiring and the utmost goal, which is discovering new facts and concepts. The guided discovery conditions have to involve either some forms of instructional guidance e.g. scaffolding or regular feedback to assist the learner at each stage of the learning tasks. As a result, the learner experiences a memorable learning situation. Hence, the teacher should not provide any direct answers for the learners, he just illustrates certain teaching drawbacks to make the discovery learning happens. In this case, the learners have the responsibility to explore the content of the subject matter through self-directed learning, as simulation is the only guided tool that enhance the guided discovery learning. Hence, guided discovery instructions leads to effective and thoughtful learning results.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of the guided discovery instructions. For instance, it can be a very time-consuming method, often taking much longer time for information to be acquired than would occur with direct teaching. Guided discovery methods often require a resource-rich learning environment. Since, effective learning by guided discovery instructions usually depends upon learners having adequate literacy, numeracy, independent study skills and self-management. Students may learn little of value from guided discovery activities if they lack an adequate knowledge base for interpreting their discoveries accurately. Another demerit of the guided discovery learning is that, if the teacher does not have the experience to monitor the targeted activities effectively, he/she would not be able to give the individual encouragement and guidance (scaffolding) that is frequently needed by learners.

Overall, guided discovery learning can be a very effective instructional method if it is orchestrated properly by the teacher and for the learners to have the required skills.