Instruction and Learning by Discovery

The purpose of this article is to examine and compare two conceptions of teaching which have often been set in sharp contrast to each other. The contrast which I have in mind is that between the teacher as an instructor and the teacher as a facilitator of the children's own creations and discoveries. This contrast has been much more prominent in discussions of primary education than of education at any other stage and is representative of two distinct traditions of teaching which are present at that stage. These might be called, as Blyth calls them in his recent book, ¹ the elementary school tradition and the developmental tradition, which latter is especially associated with Froebel and those theories often referred to as 'child-centred'. There are, of course, many aspects to the contrast between these two traditions. One could discuss it in terms of personal relationships, pupil motivation, creativity, classroom climate and so on, but the aspect which I want quite specifically to focus attention on is that of knowledge and the passing on of that knowledge. It is for that reason that the title 'Instruction and Learning by Discovery ', which has a strong cognitive flavour to it, seemed most apt.