An Evaluation of the Attainment of Higher‐Order Cognitive Objectives in using Systematically Designed Learning Materials in Guyanan Schools

Abstract

An experimental study is reported in which a comparison was made between the attainment gains of Guyanan secondary school children following different learning regimes. The use of systematically designed learning materials produces significant gains in learning when compared with conventional teaching. These differences are also seen when the attainment of high‐order cognitive skills is compared to the attainment of low‐order cognitive skills. The attainment of high‐order cognitive skills is very poor in conventional classroom situations. The significance of these results is discussed in terms of curriculum design and teacher performance in the classroom.