Convergent Discovery Style By Sasha Jennifer Allison and

Convergent Discovery Style By: Sasha, Jennifer, Allison, and Bryanne

Birthday Game • put yourselves in order by birth date • January 1 st -> December 31 st • do NOT talk • you can NOT write anything down • you have 2. 5 minutes to get yourselves in the correct order • ready, set, . . GO

Where is it?

Convergent Discovery Style • The convergent style involves discovering a single pre-planned concept • Involves asking one question and allowing the student to come up with the necessary line of thinking to arrive at the concept

Convergent Discovery Style • The question provided helps the student to reshuffle some known information • If the student has previously been exposed to the problem then it is no longer considered convergent style but practice style

Convergent Discovery Style • During convergent discovery, one stimulus is given to the learner who must then discover a previously unknown single response to answer the question • Although learners may use different approaches to solve the problem they will each converge on the same response using rules of logic and reasoning

Riddle #1: • What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

The Role of the Teacher: • To make all subject matter decisions, including the target concept to be discovered • To design the single question delivered to the learner

The Role of the Learner: • To examine the problem or issue • To engage in reasoning, questioning, and logic to sequentially make connections about the content to discover the answers

Riddle #2: • What can you catch but not throw?

When Convergent Discovery style is achieved, the following subject matter objectives are reached: • To discover the single correct answer to a question or the single correct solution to a problem • To discover the content sequence that, when logically linked, leads to the final response • To discover a pattern for thinking about the content

When Convergent Discovery style is achieved, the following behavioral objectives are reached: • To engage in convergent discovery- the production of the one correct response • To activate logic, reasoning, and sequenced problem solving skills

When Convergent Discovery style is achieved, the following behavioral objectives are reached: • To construct a specific sequence and search for the cognitive operations that produce the temporary hierarchy that will solve the problem • To experience the cognitive and emotional exhilaration that accompanies the eureka experience "Yes, I’ve got it!” Discovery of the answer produces a Eureka experience.

Riddle #3: • What goes around the world but stays in a corner?

Guidelines: • Does the question or situation to be solved have a correct response? • Does the task invite convergent thinking? • Is the discovery process by the learner visible? • Does the task represent mechanical analysis of the movement? • Does the task invite the discovery of a specific sequence of movements? • Does the task require the learner to discover his/her limits in performing the task?

Episode Events • Behaviour • Subject Matter Presentation • Logistics • Questions for Clarification • Action, task engagement, performance • Feedback • Closure

How to Implement: • The teacher is willing to move with the students another step beyond the discovery threshold • The teacher is willing to shift from delivering the content details to letting the learners construct them • The teacher trusts the learners to participate in convergent thinking and to discover on their own • The teacher believes that all learners can improve their performances in cognitive operations and in using the temporary hierarchies • Each student can engage in the discovery process and develop the skill of convergent thinking • The teacher believes that the discovery process of convergence teaches student how to solve problems

Riddle #4: • I run over fields and woods all day. Under the bed at night I sit not alone. My tongue hangs out, up and to the rear, awaiting to be filled in the morning. What am I?

References: • http: //www. educ. uvic. ca/Faculty/thopper/Pe 352/2002/Gareth. Joe 10 Sq uash/Links/teaching%20 styles. html • http: //www. spectrumofteachingstyles. org/styles/g • Instructional Strategies: Coursepack of Required Readings • http: //www. rinkworks. com/brainfood/p/riddles 1. shtml