Inductive Reasoning for Learning

Inductive Reasoning for Learning

by Elaine Loke (Cedar Primary School)
with Matthew Ong (Educational Technology Division, MOE)

What Without meaningful perspectives and context,

students may memorise theories and formulae
Inductive reasoning involves students making without underlying foundational understanding.
careful observations and using concrete evidence For example, in teaching geometrical concepts,
to form plausible solutions and conclusions. a teacher might begin with the formula for
Through keener observation and stronger calculating the hypotenuse. Using this proven
evidence, inductive reasoning helps establish a formula, students then practise applying it on
more accurate conclusion. various right-angled triangles. Upon doing
so successfully, the learners are content that
In deductive reasoning, one makes use of they understand Pythagoras’ Theorem. There
axioms, proven laws and first principles to reach are benefits to this approach, but it also
a conclusion. In contrast, inductive reasoning compromises valuable learning opportunities for
begins with observable phenomena and the use of students to observe a phenomenon and arrive at
experiments to build a hypothesis for a solution. a conclusion on their own.
In a sense, inductive reasoning does not allow
one to make watertight conclusions (Hawthorne, Through inductive reasoning, students can
2012). However, with further experiments and construct their own knowledge by observing,
continuous improvements made to the working hypothesising, testing their hypotheses, and
hypothesis, a conclusion of greater strength can reflecting. This cyclic process allows students
be achieved. This promotes a spirit of calculated to understand phenomena in a natural setting
risk-taking and data-driven decision making as the concepts are better contextualised. Such
as the learner is constantly building on prior lessons can also be more fun and meaningful for
observations to arrive at an informed conclusion. students.

Most of us may have little, if any, memories of Relevance to the English Curriculum
how we first started learning. However, if we
observe how an infant learns, it is clear that it is In learning new vocabulary words, students may
through a process of close observations, mimicry observe how a word is spelt and the various
and extensive trial-and-error. In other words, letters that are arranged to make meaning.
most of us began learning through inductive Through painstaking practice and repetition, it
reasoning. is possible to memorise how to spell the word.
This approach might be familiar to many, but the
Relevance to the Maths Curriculum challenge of contextualisation is still evident.
What does the word mean and how can one use
Around 300BC, Euclid’s Elements was widely it?
believed to have answered geometry’s most
challenging problems and the theorems were If learners are given opportunities to learn
deductively proven (Stamper, 1909). Today, what the words mean and how they are used
many mathematics classes still make use of in daily life, learners could construct their own
deductive approaches with great effectiveness. understanding of the words. There would then
This approach is conclusive, efficient and be a greater likelihood of them remembering
remains a powerful method for logical thinking. and applying their understanding in their lives.
However, the challenge is that deductive lessons Indeed, it was found that with explicit teaching of
may not always provide the necessary context inductive reasoning, one’s language processing
needed for understanding abstract concepts. skills can improve (Marx, 2009).

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 Inductive Reasoning for Learning

Why
Useful resources
Using it in the primary Mathematics class
1.
Teaching Beginning Reading and Writing
with the Picture Word Inductive Model
More than a hundred years ago, Stamper
( h t t p : / / w w w. a s c d . o r g / p u b l i c a t i o n s /
(1909) wrote that learners are rarely given the
books/199025.aspx)
opportunity to engage in practical activities when
learning geometrical concepts. With excessively
2.Using Online Tools for Interactive Maths
deductive and possibly didactic approaches,
(http://www.geogebra.org/cms/en/)
learners may lose valuable opportunities to
create knowledge on their own.

Today, with the advent of advanced technological How

programs, learners can create their own digital
objects to play with and observe mathematical There is a wide range of pedagogical approaches
concepts. One such program is GeoGebra which which make use of inductive reasoning. We will
allows users to create a wide array of shapes, focus on two common approaches here: inquiry-
measure them and discover mathematical based learning and problem-based learning (for
principles through inductive reasoning. While more approaches, please see Prince & Felder,
such lessons may require more time and 2007).
planning, they provide an invaluable context
for learners to form their own understandings of Inquiry-based learning
abstract maths concepts.
In inquiry-based activities, learners are provided
Using it in the primary English class with a scenario or challenge. They are given
information that is sufficient to pique their
Flashcards can be effective for introducing new interest but insufficient to arrive at a conclusion.
vocabulary words to primary school students, As such, learners are compelled to inquire
especially in the lower primary levels. Associating about relevant information in the right places. In
words with relevant and meaningful pictures can some sense, almost all inductive methods may
illustrate the words very well. be categorised as inquiry-based approaches.
In designing these activities, the key areas to
With technology, teachers are no longer limited note are the amount of resources provided, the
to using flashcards, as pictures can be easily structure of the task itself and whether the task is
included in slides to illustrate words in the ill-defined or clearly laid out. Depending on the
context of a larger picture. structure and resources provided, these activities
might meet with varying levels of inertia to learn.
With numerous online tools that are readily For example, ill-defined problems with minimal
available, inductive reasoning can be introduced resources provided could discourage students
to encourage students to gain greater ownership who require more learning support.
over their learning and create their own
understanding of new vocabulary words.

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 Inductive Reasoning for Learning

Problem-based learning To this end, technology can be used to design

learning environments where learners can
In this approach, students are given an ill- make concrete observations and record these
structured challenge. The central problem is analyses appropriately. In the following section,
usually not immediately clear, although the we explore how one teacher skilfully utilised
effects of the problem may be. Such problem- inductive techniques to facilitate students’
based activities have potential to mimic learning of mathematics concepts. In the process,
authentic situations in real life and involve technology was used to enable clear observations
students using resources in the same way that to be made in deriving a mathematical formula.
actual practitioners would. These activities Through an inquiry-based task, students
would also provide opportunities for students to developed their own understanding of how
experience challenges similar to those that actual the area of a triangle could be calculated. The
practitioners face. For example, a problem-based process was both fun and meaningful!
activity might require students to collaborate
with each other with roles and responsibilities References:
clearly distributed and with limited resources.
Marx, E. (2009). Does fostering inductive
In both inquiry-based learning and problem- reasoning promote children’s language
based learning, teachers might find it useful acquisition? Educational & Child Psychology, 26
to consider the following questions as they (3), pp. 40 – 58.
design and facilitate a lesson based on inductive
reasoning: Prince, M. & Felder, R. (2007). The Many Faces
of Inductive Teaching and Learning. Journal of
1) Do students have the prior knowledge to College Science Teaching, pp. 14-20.
understand the problem at hand?
2) Do they have the necessary resources to design Hawthorne, J. (2012). “Inductive Logic”, The
an experiment to form and test a hypothesis? Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter
3) Do students have the necessary knowledge 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), Accessed
to conduct the experiment and collate the from http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2012/
necessary data? entries/logic-inductive/ on 17th March 2012.
4) Do students have the opportunity to iterate
their experiments and refine their hypotheses? Stamper, A.W. (1909). A History of the Teaching
5) Do you have sufficient time and resources to of Elementary Geometry. New York: Teachers
design a lesson based on inductive reasoning? College, Columbia University.

Inductive reasoning can allow greater for more information

contextualisation of a problem and promote
better understanding of abstract concepts as Contact: [email protected]
learners begin with empirical observations
to build a hypothesis. This allows students to
hone their ability to manage their own learning
and increase ownership of their progress. In
short, inductive reasoning for learning provides
powerful opportunities for students to become
better learners.

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 Inductive Reasoning for Learning

Lesson Plan

Duration: 2 Periods Subject: Mathematics

Level: Primary 5 Topic Area of Triangle

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• State that the area of a triangle is half of its related rectangle

• State that the base and height of a triangle is the length and breadth of its corresponding rectangle

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR LESSON:

ICT Materials and Resources

• PowerPoint slides • Teacher’s prepared worksheets
• Visualiser • Triangles on blue paper
• Internet connection for TitanPad • Triangles on red paper
• Corresponding rectangles for both blue and
red triangles

LESSON PROCEDURES AND PEDAGOGY:

Time Procedures Pedagogy Materials &

Resources
5 mins Tuning-In Reflective PowerPoint slide

Teacher shares slides showing a rectangle and

triangles within it. Teacher asks students if they
recall how to calculate the area of a rectangle.

 eacher explains the objective of the following

T
activity which involves students learning how to
calculate the area of a triangle.

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 Inductive Reasoning for Learning

45 mins Lesson Development round of game play Cooperative Teacher’s

learning prepared
Teacher distributes 3 pieces of paper- worksheet
• 1 red and 1 blue paper that have the same set
of triangles printed on it
• The 3rd piece is a worksheet that students need Inquiry-based Visualiser
to complete learning

Students first measure and find the area of

rectangles A, B, C and D on the worksheet.

Teacher demonstrates how to cut the 2 triangles A

(one from the red paper, one from the blue paper) and
show that the 2 triangles can fit into rectangle A.

In pairs, students try to complete triangles and

rectangles B, C and D.

Triangles C and D are more challenging so

teacher should keep a lookout for students having
challenges.

Students are to complete the table.

10 mins Lesson Closure Experiential Teacher’s
learning prepared
 eacher asks questions that guide students to arrive
T worksheet
at the formula for calculating the area of a triangle.
This is actually half the area of its related rectangle
since 2 triangles make up one rectangle.

 eacher links area of a triangle to half the area of its

T Extension of TitanPad
corresponding rectangle, i.e. 1/2 x length x breadth learning
of the rectangle.

 eacher invites students to undertake a challenge

T
online using the TitanPad platform. Students may
discuss the solutions and provide suggestions to the
challenge.

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 Inductive Reasoning for Learning

Window into the Classroom

Elaine had always believed that learning was

not just about teachers covering the curriculum
but was also about students discovering
relationships between concepts and uncovering
knowledge on their own. Her passion was Math
and she was constantly exploring new ways
of inspiring students to learn mathematical
concepts in engaging and meaningful ways. The
next topic was calculating the area of triangles, a
challenging one for 11-year olds.

Having spent the year with her students, Elaine

knew their interests and preferred learning styles.
Many enjoyed tactile activities like origami and
artwork. So Elaine decided to approach the topic “Teacher, the triangles are half the area of the
using an inductive approach where students rectangle!” said one group of students gleefully.
would learn by observing and experimenting. Another group of students were frowning as they
could not find a way to fit some triangles into the
“All right everyone, we’ve got a great activity rectangles.
lined up. Did everyone bring their scissors and
sticky tubes?” asked Elaine. “YES!” replied her “That’s great! Now what can you tell about the
class excitedly. Before distributing the sheets of third and fourth rectangle?” asked Elaine as she
paper with carefully labelled triangles printed on saw some students’ puzzled looks in trying to fit
them, Elaine went through a quick recap of the the remaining triangles into the other rectangles.
concepts from the previous lesson. She asked the “Wow, triangle C and rectangle C are really
class a few questions to test their understanding difficult. Seriously! It doesn’t look like it’s half the
and they responded by writing their answers rectangle?” asked one student.
on a mini-whiteboard that each student had.
Satisfied that they remembered how to calculate “Keep trying to see the pattern everyone and
the area of a rectangle, Elaine moved on to the remember to observe the area of the related
main activity. But before that, she focussed their rectangles and triangles,” Elaine reminded the
attention with a simple question: Observe the class. It was easy to get distracted with all the
area of the related rectangles and triangles. cutting and pasting so this was a timely prompt
for everyone.
“Each of you should have a blue and a red piece
of paper with four triangles on each paper. On the After a while, some students raised their hands
plain piece of paper, there are rectangles printed triumphantly and asked Elaine to check their
on them. Cut out the triangles and observe how answers by their work stations. They pointed
they are related to the rectangles.” out that the triangles, while they didn’t seem to
occupy half the rectangles at the first glance, had
The students got down to work quickly. They the same breadth and height as the rectangle.
meticulously cut out each triangle and tried to fit Elaine was visibly delighted that the students had
them onto the rectangles. The first two rectangles discovered this relationship on their own!
were easy as the triangles fit perfectly into them.

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 Inductive Reasoning for Learning

while trying hard not to yell the answer in their

excitement.

“That’s exactly right! Can you explain the

formula?” asked Elaine.

A few students explained that the area of a

triangle was equivalent to the base multiplied by
its perpendicular height and then divided by two.

After all the students had completed the hands-

on activity, Elaine threw another challenge to her
students but this time, through a visual slide.

“Take a look at this green rectangle, what do you

notice about the blue triangle within it?” Elaine
invited some students up to the whiteboard to
share their answers. Some students volunteered
to solve the problem and ran up to the board
Elaine was elated that the students had arrived
to draw on the projected images. They carefully
at the formula. But she wanted to stretch their
traced out the shape of the triangle and divided
learning further by continuing the discussion
the rectangle into different parts. Then, they
online. “That’s just fantastic everyone. But I
shaded the respective segments to show that the
want to continue this discussion as I’ve got more
triangle was indeed half of the rectangle. Once
challenging examples for you to try out. Please
again, the students pointed out that the base
copy the URL and log into TitanPad to continue
of the triangle was similar to the length of the
the fun,” said Elaine, as her students started
rectangle while the height of the triangle was the
copying the web address quickly.
same as the rectangle’s breadth. The class also
pointed out that the height of the triangle was
Just then, the bell chimed to signal the end of
perpendicular to its base, just as the breadth of
the lesson. Elaine looked at her class and gave
the rectangle was perpendicular to the length.
a satisfied smile. She had successfully covered
the lesson objective. But more importantly, her
“All right, now can anyone tell me how I can
students had discovered a mathematical formula
calculate the area of any triangle?” Elaine asked
all on their own through simple but careful
hopefully. “Don’t shout the answers out. Just
observations. Now they were inspired to tackle
write them down on your mini-whiteboards.”
more challenges online and extend their learning
further.
For a few seconds, there was a dramatic pause
as the students scribbled their thoughts on their
own whiteboards. Soon, numerous students
began waving the mini-whiteboards in the air

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