The purpose of this paper is to open lines of thinking about discovery learning not tried before. This effort is a strident attempt to establish new insights and outlooks that will improve the language, theory, and practices connected with this teaching method. (Author/MK)

Describes physiological, affective, and cognitive mechanisms by which didactic and discovery methods appear to work, as revealed by research literature. The optimal instructional method depends on the instructional objective, the educator's skills, and the nature of the students. Suggests more use of discovery methods. (69 references) (Author/MKR)

Describes three major difficulties plaguing most discovery-learning teaching systems and presents a theoretical operational approach for offsetting these difficulties. (SL)

The discovery method, according to the author, promotes logical thinking, is motivational in nature, makes learning more permanent, produces more usable knowledge, and gets students actively involved. A discovery lesson is characterized by the following: (1) the concept to be learned is not announced, (2) experiences and activities are developed…

In the situation described, the withholding of immediate reinforcement led a student to verify his method, and thus led to greater confidence and motivation. (SD)

Reported is the everyday teaching and curriculum planning activities of the Madison Project, operated by teachers and mathematicians. Two kinds of informal explanatory experiences are provided in order to involve students in the discovery of significant mathematical concepts--experiences where children do something and experiences where a…

The project's objectives were to increase achievement in mathematics, alter behavior in mathematics classes, and alter attitudes toward small-group work through training in small-group dynamics. The subjects were 85 10th grade geometry students assigned to one of two class periods (morning or afternoon). Within each class period, the students were…