EXPOSITORY, DISCOVERY & INQUIRY APPROACH

EXPOSITORY, DISCOVERY & INQUIRY APPROACH

In expository approach all the cues provided by teacher while teaching, the deductive thinking where in abstract content is differentiated by the teacher giving appropriate examples to the students. Teaching Learning process is totally controlled by the teacher.

In Discovery Approach some cues in the form of a learning material is presented by the teacher to the students and using Inductive thinking, the students are expected to discover the concept or the generalization/rule. Therefore the teaching learning process is partially controlled by the teacher and students also involved to a great extent.

In Inquiry approach the students are given a problem or a discrepant event. The students will ask the teacher questions to collect the data and they through interaction find out a satisfactory solution to a given problem or explanation to the given discrepant event. In this approach the teaching learning process is totally controlled by the students.

From the table it is very clear that all the three approaches are not mutually exclusive but related to each other. All the three approaches differ with respect to cues, structuredness, and the involvement of the teacher and the student in teaching learning process.

Expository Approach

Expository Approach is also known as Transmission Approach. In this approach the teacher is communicating maximum information to the students in minimum of time. This approach helps the teacher to cover the content to be taught to the students. This approach is widely used across all the subjects and different levels of education by the teacher. The main proponent of this method is David P. Ausubel. The word expository is derived from exposition which means an explanation or interpretation in which commentary by the teacher is given that seeks to clarify the meaning of and implications of the object of exposition. In this approach there are various methods such as Expository Method, Tell and do method, deductive method etc. are included. The approach is totally teacher centered.

Expository Method: If the initial move of the teacher is the statement of the rule or generalization or principle (followed by clarification, justification and application of the rule) then the sequence of moves is known as Expository Method.

SR—CR—JR—AR.

Depending upon the combination of these moves and number of moves used by the teacher while teaching, the expository method takes different forms such as telling method, tell and do method, lecture method, and expository method. In order to be effective expository teacher the teachers must use all the four moves in a sequence that is mentioned above.

Advantages

This is mostly preferred method/approach by the teacher all over the world. This method has definite advantages over two other approaches. These are given below.

● Effective in communicating new knowledge in short period of time. The teachers always complain shortage of time to complete the syllabus. If this method is judiciously used the teacher can ‘Cover’ the syllabus.

● Gestaltic view of the subject is presented to the students resulting into meaningful verbal learning.

● Effective for knowledge and comprehension objectives. There is no conclusive proof.

● Suitable for all types of subject matter and high levels of education. Hence it is still used to large extent at all levels.

Limitations

Although this is widely used approach/method, it suffers from the following limitations.

● Students are passive to a large extent. All the cues provided by the teacher.

● Rote memorization is encouraged.

● Not effective for higher level of objectives especially analysis, evaluation and creativity.

● Students depend on teacher all the time.

● No scope for the creativity of the students.

● Not at all suitable at lower level (Elementary and secondary)

DISCOVERY APPROACHES

The main proponents of this category of methods are Jerome Bruner, Hilda Taba, Robert Davies and many others. Since then a number of educators trying to popularize these group methods, but this method is rarely used by the teachers in the classroom. According to Bruner, discovery is a process, a way of approaching problems rather than a product or a particular item of knowledge. Many educators developed instructional strategies based on ideas proposed by Bruner.

The discovery approach is a type of teaching that encourages students to take a more active role in their learning process by answering a series of questions or solving problems designed to introduce a general concept (Mayer 2003). While teaching any rule from any discipline, the same moves are to be used as given in the Expository method but its sequence is different while using the discovery approach. There are three types of methods that are included under discovery approach- Open Discovery method, Guided Discovery method, and Deductive discovery method. The first two types Open Discovery and Guided Discovery methods are based on Inductive thinking and Deductive Discovery based on Deductive Thinking. Open Discovery method is mostly followed by Scientists where as the teachers use Guided Discovery method while teaching to the students. The pattern that is used in Guided Discovery method is Example Rule. The teacher starts with the examples of the rule and then the students generate rule on the basis of similarities and difference between different examples presented to them by the teacher. Guided Discovery Method

Since the moves used in the discovery approach are the same as those used in the expository approach, the distinguishing factor between the two is the position of the assertion move or statement of rule move. Hence guided discovery method can be defined as a sequence of moves in which the assertion move, if at all appears, appears late in the sequence. The typical sequence is as under:

CR—JR—SR—AR

Advantages

Since the students are involved in the teaching-learning process this method has certain advantages which are given below.

a) Process of teaching is more important than product of teaching. This creates interest among the students with respect o the subject of study. All the time the students may not be able to generate rule and put it in verbal form. In the beginning of discovery lesson the teacher should help in developing rule. As students exposed to such lessons they will learn to generate rules very easily.

b) Ability to analyze, organize knowledge in attacking problems is developed because students are actively involved in all the learning experiences created by the teacher.

c) Students enjoy learning because they themselves discover knowledge.

d) There is always constant interaction between content, teacher and the students. This results into development of information processing abilities of the students.

Limitations

Although the teacher is moderately monitoring the teaching learning process, if it is not properly handled then it may lead to the following limitations.

a) Time consuming; students may not progress beyond basic notions in any discipline.

b) Frustration may be there with low ability students because they may not discover any relationship.

c) A lot of efforts should be put in by the students and the teacher. The school should have enough resources to be provided to the students.

d) All teachers may not be comfortable with this method.

e) Costly method in terms of time and other resources.

INQUIRY APPROACHES

There are number of inquiry approaches suggested by different experts. The common element in all these approaches is that the process skills are developed of the students when this approach is judiciously used by the teacher. This approach is proposed by Richard Suchman, Oliver and Shaver, Schwab, among others .The Inquiry Approach is the extension of the discovery approach. In any inquiry discovery is always there but vice versa is not true. In this method cause and effect relationship is established and the teacher provides no cues to the students. This is truly learner centered method. In this method teacher presents the students a problem/discrepant event to solve. Then the students ask questions to the teacher and collect the data. Then the students test the different hypotheses and finally find the satisfactory explanation to the discrepant event.

The typical sequence is as under:

CR—JR—SR—AR.

Although the sequence of Discovery and Inquiry is the same, the students ask questions to the teacher to collect the data related to a discrepant event presented by the teacher in the initial stages of the teaching episode. The following method is based on Inquiry Training Model proposed by Joyce and Well (1985). The ground rules for asking questions are as follows-

● Questions should be phrased so as to answer by ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

● Once called upon student can ask as many questions as he may wishes.

● The teacher does not answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ of theory verifying questions.

● Any student can test any theory at any time. Any time if the students feel to confer, they can do it.

● Inquirers are allowed to work with experimental kits.

Inquiry training has following phases.

i. Encounter with the problem.

ii. Data Gathering- verification.

iii. Data gathering—Experimentation.

iv. Hypothesizing.

v. Testing of hypothesis /Formulation of an explanation.

vi. Analysis of the inquiry process.

Advantages

This is most effective method from the students’ point of view. They control the teaching learning process all the time. The advantages of this method are as under.

a) Thought provoking method. Divergent type of thinking is encouraged and nurtured. This is reflected in different types of questions that are asked by the students during data gathering phase.

b) Development of the inquiry processes of the students. The process consists of collection of the data, formation of hypotheses, testing of hypotheses and ultimately formulation of satisfactory explanation of discrepant event/problem.

c) Learning becomes challenging and joyful.

d) Students become independent learners. Develops scientific outlook.

e) Students realize the tentative nature of the knowledge. A particular theory may be modified subsequently leading to more satisfactory explanation.

f) Cause and effect relationship is established. This is required for development of theory from that area of specialization.

Limitations

This method is quite modern in comparison with earlier methods. It has the following limitations.

a) Time consuming. When the students are exposed to this method first time they are not able to ask precise questions. This result in to delay in finding out solution to the given problem.

b) All the units cannot be taught by this method. It can be applied to the situation where cause and effect relationship is to be established

c) The students may get frustrated if there is no satisfactory explanation is reached.