A Thinking Journey Based on Constructivism and Mediated Learning Experience as a Vehicle for Teaching Science to Low Functioning Students and Enhancing Their Cognitive Skills

Abstract

An Experimental Astronomy Curriculum or Thinking Journey was developed on the basis of a combination of Constructivism and Mediated Learning Experience (MLE). The Thinking Journey was designed to serve as a vehicle for promoting a process of conceptual change in a wide range of students. Its theoretical background, curriculum and an experiment to test its effectiveness with a class of low functioning high school girls are documented here. The study included an experimental (E) and control (C) group, each of which comprised 16 9th grade students. E focused on the concept of Earth within the framework of the Thinking Journey, while C was exposed to the conventional approach to the study of Earth within the Earth Studies curriculum. The results indicated the relative effectiveness of the Thinking Journey in promoting a process of positive change in the students' conceptualization of Earth, improving their knowledge of astronomy, enhancing their general scientific knowledge and developing their cognitive functioning and problem solving abilities. These findings are discussed in terms of the usefulness of utilizing a scientific subject as part of an educational intervention designed to enhance the cognitive abilities of low functioning students.

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