The use of analogical reasoning as a problem solving strategy

This study investigated the viability of developing analogical reasoning as strategy to improve problem solving in the classroom. The research was carried out with children from Years 4 and 5 in a middle sized rural school. There were two groups, the control group and the treatment group. The technique used to develop analogical reasoning was reciprocal teaching. The study was attempting to show that reciprocal teaching enhanced metacognitive awareness which assisted in the development of analogical reasoning. Although the study's quantitative data produced no significant difference between the control and the treatment group, the qualitative data provided enough evidence to warrant further investigation into the use of both reciprocal teaching and analogical reasoning as a problem solving strategy as well as several implications for teaching. The major findings and implications of this study were the following: 1. Metacognitive awareness seemed to assist in the development of analogical reasoning but was not necessary to sustain it; 2. The use of reciprocal teaching was a major contributor to building the children's confidence as was evident in the positive qualitative change in attitudes during the intervention which was due to the children developing skills which, in turn, aided them in problem solving. As a result, the children found the problems less threatening and enjoyed the work more; 3. There was a strong link between the children's ability to determine the underlying structure of a problem and their use of analogical reasoning; 4. The initial results of the study indicated that the children could not reason analogically. Correlation analysis of the trend in the children's performance during the study supported the contention that the longer the children were involved in this type of work, the more they were able to make the connections unaided. This provided evidence to support the proposal that children can be taught to reason analogically; 5. The qualitative evidence indicated that the control group were better able to cope with the problems through discussion and analogical reasoning. These findings and implications lend support to the use of analogical reasoning as a problem solving strategy