What is the Inductive Method?

The inductive method, also referred to as the scientific method, is a process of using observations to develop general priciples about a specific subject. A group of similar specimens, events, or subjects are first oberved and studied; finding from the observations are then used to make broad statements about the subjects that were examined. These statements may then become laws of nature or theories. An Example of the Inductive Method Is: Extensive observations of many species of land-dwelling turtles reveals that the observed turtles have shells, lay eggs, and eat a diet of plants as well as insects. From this, it could be induced that all land turtles have shells, lay eggs and eat plants and insects. The data gathered from observing someexamples of land turtles is applied as a general rule about all land turtles.

How is the Inductive Method Used in the Classroom?

The inductive method is deeply entrenched in Science education. Traditionally science courses were taught deductively, with the teacher teaching the students the facts and theory, then moving to textbook exercises and finally application. Using the inductive method, the teacher presents the students with a specific challenge or problem, such as an experiment that needs to be interpreted, or a real-world problem that needs to be solved. The students must then use their base-knowledge to investigate, test, analyze and come to their own conclusion or solution. The inductive method, which is commonly interpreted in schools as the scientific method is widely used as a guide for observation and inquiry based learning. School Science Fairs universally adhere to inductive methods as a guideline for student investigation into Science. In Science classrooms, students are often guided through the process of induction by the following steps: The Inductive (Scientific) Method

State the Question: What information do you wish to obtain? Make Observations: Gather information that will help answer your questions by researching, making, and recording direct observations of the subject

Form a Hypothesis: After gathering an adequate amount of information, apply what you have observed to form an educated guess or prediction of what the answer to your question is Test: Test your hypothesis by performing an experiment that includes a variable Analyze: Examine the results of your experiment to understand what they imply Draw a Conclusion: Based on the interpretation of your results, develop a general principle as an answer to your question.

Below is an Example of How the Above Steps of Inductive Reasoning Might be Applied in Science Classroom:

State the Question: What type of artificial light will cause plants to grow the most: red, blue, green, or normal white light? Make Observations: Plants observed growing under normal white house lights often appear green, leafy, sturdy and healthy. However, plants grown in indoor white light usually don't appear as large or as healthy as plants that grow outdoors in natural sunlight. After reading about natural sunlight, I have found that the sun contains high amounts of red light. Form a Hypothesis: Based on my observations of plants already growing under two different types of light, I predict that plants grown under red light will grow the most, because red light is closest to natural sunlight. Test: As a test, a few plants are grown from seed under entirely red, blue, green, or white light. Plants are placed in the same amounts of soil, receive the same amount of water, and grow in identical environments. The only difference between the growth conditions of the plants is the light.

Analyze: The plants grown under red light were the largest, leafiest, and sturdiest, followed by plants grown under white light, blue light, and green light. Draw a Conclusion: Based on the results from my tests and observations, I can conclude that: Red light causes plants to undergo the most growth.

Types of Inductive Teaching and Learning Inductive teaching methods come in many forms and with many names. We have already mentioned inquiry-based and discovery learning. Besides those there are problem-based learning, project-based learning, case-based learning and just-intime learning.

Inquiry-based learning: Students are presented with a challenge which will require knowledge that has not been completely covered. The challenge may come in a question that needs a solution, an observation that needs to explained, a data set that must be analyzed or a hypothesis that must be tested. Discovery learning: Students are presented with a challenge and left to work out the solution on their own. (Bruner 1961, French 2006) Students learn to use trial and error to analyze and resolve their findings. The instructor may provide limited feedback. In these situations, this process is referred to as "Guided Discovery." Problem-based learning: As the name suggests, the students are presented with a real-world problem that needs to be solved. Problem-based learning generally incorporates collaborative learning by placing the students into teams. Collectively they formulate and evaluate their various solutions, select the best choice and present their argument for that solution. In problem-based learning students have not previously received the necessary background instruction and emphasis is not on a correct answer but on the investigative process. Project-based learning: Students are presented with an assignment that requires that they design or produce a deliverable. The final product may be a

formal written or oral presentation of their processes and outcomes. Projectbased learning can be assigned to individuals or teams. Unlike problembased learning, this style of inductive learning provides the student with the necessary background knowledge and is focused more on the solution.

Case-base learning: Students are presented with real-life scenarios, or cases, in which they hypothetically assume various roles. The cases tend to be very well structured filled with elaborate details to incorporate many of the variables real-life problems contain. Students learn to apply material that has already been covered in class and is somewhat familiar (Lohman 2002) Casebased learning can be assigned to individual students or to teams. Studies have shown that case-based instruction significantly improves student retention, reasoning and problem-solving skills (Fasko 20030, and higherorder skills on Bloom's taxonomy. (Gabel 1999) Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT): Students are presented with conceptual questions at the beginning of class. These questions are usually done in an electronic or web-based mode so they can be accessed immediately. The teacher then uses the findings of that exam to adjust the lesson and address misconceptions the students may have about the subject content. This method is classified as inductive because the students are being asked questions about material they have not yet studied. This method is used primarily in higher education.

Is the Inductive Method an Effective Tool?

The inductive method is an extremely effective process for obtaining general, observation-based information about the world. In fact, the inductive method-whether guided in classrooms or occurring in non-academic settings--is one of the most common and natural forms of making logical assumptions about what we observe. Inductive reasoning allows us to gather ideas about an infinite number of events or phenomena in real life. Use of the inductive method as a teaching tool to guide students through critical thinking, awareness, evaluation of what they observe, and the drawing of logical conclusions and explanations is almost universally accepted in science education.

What are the Criticisms of the Inductive Method?

The main criticism of the inductive method is that is is not a valid means of obtaining proof. Because inductive reasoning encompasses broad statements based on smaller observations, the method can never completely prove that what is observed from a small set of data applies to the whole group. (For example, based on observation of mice, the inductive method can help us generalize that because theobserved mice ate peanut butter that every mouse, everywhere must eat peanut butter. However, the inductive method cannot provide absolute proof of this assumption.) Generalizations and principles arrived by means of the inductive method may certainly be tested. However, because conclusions drawn from inductive reasoning are based on observable data, if the data changes, the conclusion may change as a result.

What Does Research On Inductive Reasoning Say?

A significant amount of research indicates that the inductive method is highly effective and appropriate for some types of learning goals and a less accurate mode of thinking for others. Most research points to the idea that the inductive method is an effective way to:

Understand how logical conclusions are drawn Apply small, concrete ideas to larger, abstract concepts Transfer conclusions and governing principles to newly encountered information Develop problem-solving skills

However, research suggests that inductive reasoning is not an effective means for the learning, development, or application of specific rules to small amounts of data or problems. Instead, deductivemethods [1] are more appropriate.