TO TEACH OR NOT TO TEACH - COMPARING THE USE OF COMPUTER-BASED SIMULATIONS IN DEDUCTIVE VERSUS INDUCTIVE APPROACHES TO LEARNING WITH ADULTSIN SCIENCE

Two alternative learning strategies, deductive and inductive, were com pared as adults learned about the laws of motion using combinations of computer-based tutorials and simulations. Two levels of Tutorial (Yes , No) were crossed with three levels of Simulation (Structured, Unstru ctured, None). Deductive learning was defined as the tutorial followed by either the structured or unstructured simulation as practice. Indu ctive learning was defined as either the structured or unstructured si mulation given to the subjects without the tutorial. The No Tutorial/N o Simulation condition acted as a posttest-only control group. Results indicated that subjects learned as much inductively from the structur ed simulation as other subjects learned deductively from the tutorial, but not so from the unstructured simulation. Subjects were also very accurate in their ability to monitor their own comprehension in each o f the respective instructional conditions. However, response confidenc e during the posttest was lower for the subjects who were given the si mulations as compared to those who were given the tutorial.