A Study of the Ability of Primary School Children to Generalize Behavioral Competencies Specified for "Science--A Process Approach" to Other Content Settings

• Main Author: Carter, Heather L
• Format: Publication
• Language: English
• Published: 1970
• Subjects: Behavioral Objectives; Curriculum Development; Learning Processes; Learning Theories; Primary Education; Science Education; Stimulus Generalization; Transfer of Training

Curriculum development would be greatly aided if it could be demonstrated that certain instructional techniques have a generalization effect that encompasses several content settings. The evidence that transfer does occur within the learning process is strong enough to warrant this study into the generalization of science instruction. It was hypothesized that students receiving instruction in a certain science program would domonstrate competence in social studies, language arts, and fine arts equal to or greater than their competence in science. Subjects were 64 students randomly selected from grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin Public Schools System, which uses Science - A Process Approach. The instruments used to obtain the objective measures of student competence were the Observing Process Hierarchy and the Science Process Instrument (AAAS, 1967). Analysis of the data tended to support the hypotheses of generalized competence in social studies, language arts, and fine arts. There were some reservations in the results of the third graders which may have been caused by unclear items or items in which wording or procedure was too complex. (MH)