EFFECTS OF ADVANCE QUESTIONING AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE ON SCIENCE LEARNING

The effects of conceptual orienting questions and differences in prior knowledge on factual learning and problem solving in biology were exa mined. A total of 107 10th graders were assigned to a control group, a n orienting questions group, or an orienting question-plus-rationale g roup. After initial training, participants completed a 2-day introduct ory lesson on genetics. One day after completing the instruction, a po sttest was administered. Overall, both question groups outperformed th e control group. In addition, problem-solving scores improved proporti onately more than fact scores through the use of questions and rationa le. Meaningful responses to the embedded orienting questions were grea test for the question-plus-rationale group and were significantly corr elated with posttest performance. High-level orienting questions, desi gned to activate existing knowledge based upon conceptual relevance to forthcoming instruction, are of greatest value when a rationale for t heir use is provided.