Some Fundamental Questions about Scientific Thinking

Abstract

This study demonstrates that 11 year‐old children's scientific thinking in formal operational terms determined by Science Reasoning Task II can be significantly developed through training in the cognitive style of field independence determined by the Group Embedded Figures Test, suggesting they could perform formal operationally if they had the skill of identifying the variables to be manipulated. The increases in field independence and formal operations were further developed by strategies that increased children's metacognition of the processes invoked. This indicated that many children's scientific ability is often underestimated because of their lack of ability in recognising a variable as a variable, and differentiating which variables are significant, rather than an inability to manipulate and control those variables in a fair test. An outline of the material used in training is described.