Active teaching for higher cognitive learning in science

Abstract

The paper reviews research related to teaching and learning higher cognitive level objectives in science from a constructivist perspective. The literature supports an active model of teaching whereby all students are provided with opportunities for overt engagement in learning tasks. Factors associated with the learner, delivery of instruction and task management interact to influence the quality of learning in classrooms. When students are not motivated to engage in a task, when they do not attend to instruction, when they do not understand which cognitive processes to use, or when they cannot accomplish the task, instruction will falter and the intended learning outcomes will not be achieved. In order to facilitate learning of higher cognitive level objectives, an active teaching role is advocated with a focus on monitoring and sustaining overt engagement of all students.