Taakstructurering in het basisonderwijs : voor wie werkt dit het beste?

The Control of Variables Strategy (CVS) is a strategy that is often used during doing research in children. This strategy implies that one variable is manipulated, while other variables are held constant. Task structuring (= a comprehensive research task is split into different subtaks) is a form of support whereby the development of the CVS and therefore drawing qualitatively good conclusions are going faster. In the present study we examined if there was a difference in the effect of task structuring on the use of the CVS and drawing qualitatively good conclusions between children from 6-8 years and 10-12 years. 52 children: 25 students from the 4th grade and 27 students from the 7/8th grade (combination class) of a mainstream primary school got task structuring. After checking if there were any differences about the CVS and knowledge about reverberation time beforehand, the children investigated a inquiry task where they had to examine the influence of four variables on the reverberation time of a gong. Analysis of the data showed that there was a difference in the effect of task structuring on the use of the CVS and drawing qualitatively good conclusions. Task structuring was more effective for the older children.