Towards a framework for effective instructional explanations in science teaching

ABSTRACT

Instructional explanations have sometimes been described as an ineffective way to teach science, representing a transmissive view of learning. However, science teachers frequently provide instructional explanations, and students also offer them in cooperative learning. Contrary to the transmissive view regarding explanation, studies suggest that instructional explanations might be successful if they are based on an interaction between explainers and explainees, including the diagnosis of understanding and adaptation to the explainee’s needs. The present article has three goals: (1) It will propose a framework for potentially effective instructional explanations, presenting five core ideas of what constitutes effective instructional explanations and two concerning how they should be implemented into science teaching. (2) To justify the framework, the article will review studies on the effectiveness of instructional explanations. It will identify factors that have been researched for their impact on the effectiveness of instructional explanations and discuss them for their applicability to science teaching. (3) This article will connect the research on instructional explanations with the idea of basic dimensions of instructional quality in science. It will discuss the core ideas as particular expressions of the basic dimensions of instructional quality, specifically ‘cognitive activation’ and ‘constructive support’.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher explanation
• instructional explanation
• teaching effectiveness
• direct instruction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christoph Kulgemeyer

Christoph Kulgemeyer is an associate professor (‘Privatdozent’) at the Institute of Science Education, Physics Education Group, University of Bremen. He conducts research on instructional quality in physics, performance-based assessment methods, and the connection between teacher education and teaching performance. Over the last six years, he wrote his ‘habilitation’ thesis on instructional explanations in science teaching.