Implementation challenges influencing the efficacy of group-work tasks that require inductive or deductive reasoning during physical sciences lessons

Abstract

We explore the implementation challenges and efficacy of instructional strategies focussing on tasks that require learners to attempt sense-making using either inductive or deductive reasoning during group discussions. The first author collected data via participant observation of 73 Grade 10 to 12 learners whom she taught. She also used field notes, audio visual recordings, interviews, questionnaires, and learner journals. We, as the researchers, underwent the inductive cyclic process of implementation, data collection, reflection, and modification over 20 research cycles, four of which we report on here, over three years. The implementation challenges we experienced included problems related to time-consumption and classroom management, the stress related to impromptu communication, as well as the heavy demands placed on the teacher's energy levels along with some learner confusion and shortage of content knowledge. We found considerably more variability in these challenges, often negatively influencing efficacy, for the inductive instructional strategy, but a reduction in the extent of these challenges, associated with consistent efficacy, for the deductive oriented strategy.