Comparing discovery learning with direct instruction replicating (and extending) the famous Klahr and Nigam result

In this study, an extension of Klahr and Nigam (2004), we tested middle school students on their acquisition of the control of variables strategy (CVS) using an interactive virtual ramp environment. We compared the effectiveness of three pedagogical approaches, namely, direct instruction with reification, direct instruction without reification, and discovery learning,

The three conditions.

Sao Pedro, M., Gobert, J., Heffernan, N. & Beck, J. (2009). In N.A. Taathen & H. van Rjin (Eds.) Comparing Pedagogical Approaches for Teaching the Control of Variables Strategy. Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.