Alternative instructional systems and the development of problem‐solving skills in physics

Two different instructional approaches were used in a ninth grade Venezuelan secondary school. One was the traditional approach which has been used for the last 10 years in Venezuela; the other was based on the learning theory of Ausubel (1968). The influence of these two different systems upon student‐problem solving abilities was analysed using one‐way anova. The research findings suggest that instruction based on Ausubel's theory was better able to develop problem‐solving abilities, as measured by the acquisition of cognitive skills related to problem solving.