CESA Discussion Paper #61

Guided Discovery Learning 

The COVID-19 lockdowns of recent years compelled a shift to remote learning for students, ushering in an era of what can be termed as guided discovery, reminiscent of educational approaches popularized in the sixties. This method, although often ridiculed at its inception, bears resemblance to Jerome Bruner's concept of guided discovery, aimed at fostering both self-mastery and mastery of the material, particularly in reading [3].
Guided discovery, akin to "intellectual orienteering," entails the teacher designing a series of experiences to guide students toward desired learning outcomes. Contrary to a caricatured notion of throwing students into a physics laboratory and expecting them to derive the theory of relativity, guided discovery involves active participation and mentorship [14]. As Bruner himself noted, "Much of what we call ‘instruction’ is but the provision of an atmosphere in which learning can take place" [3].
While this approach may cover less material in any given timeframe, it emphasizes depth of understanding and student engagement [cf. 11]. As John Dewey famously stated, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself" [4]. In the post-lockdown era, as schools readjust to in-person learning, there's an opportunity to re-examine the efficacy of guided discovery within the high school setting. This note explores the principles of guided discovery and their potential application in organizing effective seminars, tutorials, and capstone subjects [cf. 7,13]. By revisiting these fundamentals, educators may foster deeper learning experiences and better prepare students for academic challenges ahead.

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