The effects of hands‐on and teacher demonstration laboratory methods on science achievement in relation to reasoning ability and prior knowledge

Abstract The present study compared the relative effects of hands‐on and teacher demonstration laboratory methods on declarative knowledge (factual and conceptual) and procedural knowledge (problem‐solving) achievement. Of particular interest were (a) whether these relationships vary as a function of reasoning ability and (b) whether prior knowledge and reasoning ability predict student achievement. Ninth‐grade physical science students were randomly assigned to classes taught by either a hands‐on or a teacher demonstration laboratory method. Students' reasoning ability and prior knowledge of science were assessed prior to the instruction. The two instructional methods resulted in equal declarative knowledge achievement. However, students in the hands‐on laboratory class performed significantly better on the procedural knowledge test than did students in the teacher demonstration class. These results were unrelated to reasoning ability. Prior knowledge significantly predicted performance on the declarative knowledge test. Both reasoning ability and prior knowledge significantly predicted performance on the procedural knowledge test, with reasoning ability being the stronger predictor.