The influence of Heuristic and expository teaching strategies on the development of selected Piagetian conservation tasks

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Date
2012-05-04
Authors
Mwenda, Sammy Kung'u
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Abstract
This study dealt with the influence that different teaching strategies (Expository and Heuristic) may have on children's performance on selected Piagetian conservation tasks of mass, weight and volume. The effect of gender on this performance was also studies. Specifically, this study investigated differences in the number of conservers and conservation responses of Standard Four pupils in two expository schools and two heuristic schools. Also the gender differences in the number of conservers and conservation responses were investigated. A sample of 120 children, 60 boys and 60 girls was randomly drawn from four primary schools in Langata Division of Nairobi City. 60 of these children, 30 boys and 30 girls, were randomly drawn from two primary schools that scored lowest on the questionnaire and were categorised as predominantly schools. The other 60, 30 boys and 30 girls were randomly drawn from the two schools that scored highest on the questionnaire and were categorised as predominantly heuristic schools. The children sampled were Standard Four pupils aged between 9.1 and 9.11 years. These children were given the Piagetian conservation tasks of mass, weight and volume. Chi-square testing of the hypotheses realised the following results: - 1. That there was no significant difference in the number of conservers between the two categories of schools in the tasks of mass, weight and volume combined. However, there was a significant difference in the task of weight in favour of the predominantly heuristic schools. 2. That there was a significant difference in the number of conservation responses between the two categories of schools in the tasks of mass, weight and volume combined. This difference was realised in each of the tasks when separate tests were done. 3. That there were no significant gender differences in both the number of conservers and the number of conservation responses in all the tasks combined and even in the individual tasks.
Description
The LB 1026.M84
Keywords
Teaching//Education -- Study and teaching -- Kenya
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