Developing analogic reasoning in ’environmental science studies’

Analogical reasoning is one of the components of inductive reasoning. It plays a key role in gaining new knowledge. The program tailored for second graders is based on the results of a previousdevelopmental program based on the subject matter and the study toolsof biology in the eighth grade. Furthermore, it is based on the subject matter and the study tools of environmental studies, taking into account the sensitive period between the ages of 6 to 8 in the development of analogical reasoning. The tasks of the program can be categorized into two main groups. (1) Field-specific word-analogy tasks, which are suitable for the practising of differentation and identification of different coherences (aggregation, theme-rheme, chronology, cause and effect, antithesis, correspondence, synonym, attribute, function, transformation, origin, location, elements of the same aggregate etc.) (2) Exercises practising the operations of analogical reasoning on the elements of subject matters, which relate the subject matter to everyday experience, and recently learned topics or other subjects. They are suitable for example for practising comparison (establishing difference and sameness), identification, recognition of order, classification, generalization, and taxonomy as reasoning process.

The results of the experiment yielded evidence that analogical reasoning can be developed well in school contextin the early school years. Data also shows that the analogical reasoning tasks can contribute to the development of reasoning and to a better understanding and acquisition of the subject matter of environmental studies especially in the case of boys.

 

Publications

Nagy Lászlóné (2005): Hátrányos helyzetű tanulók analógiás gondolkodásának és biológiatudásának jellemzői. Szimpóziumi előadás. (A differenciált fejlesztés lehetőségei néhány hátrányos helyzetű iskolában) az V. Országos Neveléstudományi Konferencián, Budapest, 2005. október 6−8. In: Falus Iván és Rapos Nóra (szerk.): Közoktatás − pedagógusképzés − neveléstudomány. Program, Tartalmi összefoglalók. Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Pedagógiai Bizottság. 237.

Antal, E. (2007): Analogical reasoning and biology knowledge of 8th grade socially disadvantaged pupils. Paper presented at the 12th Biennial Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. Budapest, Hungary, August 28 – September 1. 2007. In: Benő Csapó and Csaba Csíkos (eds.): Developing Potentials for Learning. Programme. EARLI, Graduate School of Education, University of Szeged, Faculty of Arts, Szeged. 324.

Nagy Lászlóné (2008): Az analógiás gondolkodás fejlesztése a környezetismeret tantárgy keretében. Szimpóziumi előadás. (Gondolkodási képességeket és tanulási módszereket fejlesztő programok kisiskolásoknak) a VIII. Országos Neveléstudományi Konferencián, Budapest, 2008. november 13-15. In: Perjés István és Ollé János (szerk.): Hatékony tudomány, pedagógiai kultúra, sikeres iskola − Program és összefoglalók, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Pedagógiai Bizottság. 144.

Antal, E. (2009): The improvement of analogical reasoning of 7-8-years-olds. Paper presented at the 13th Biennial Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, August 25-29. 2009. In: Gert Rijlaarsdam (ed.): Fostering Communities of Learners. 13th Biennial Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. Programme. Graduate School of Teachinng and Learning, UvA, Amsterdam. 85.

 

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