Learner Resource 3 (Answers)
Cognitive development and education (cognitive): Key research activity – Wood et al (1976)
This activity is based on Wood et al’s research into ‘The role of tutoring in problem solving.’[1]
Main finding / Age group result was found in (3,4 or 5) /Children produced a larger number of correct constructions whereby they put self made pieces of puzzle together correctly. / older age groups /
75% acts of correct pair construction to make a correct pyramid. / 5 /
50% acts of correct pair construction to make a correct pyramid. / 4 /
10% acts of correct pair construction to make a correct pyramid. / 3 /
No one in this age group could put four blocks together correctly. / 3 /
Children in this age group could put four blocks together correctly at least once. / 4 and 5 /
These children frequently (median of seven times) picked up matching pieces for construction without previously trying them out. / 5 /
These children picked up matching pieces for construction without previously trying them out an average of three times. / 4 /
These children picked up matching pieces for construction without previously trying them out an average of less than one times. / 3 /
These children took apart as many constructions as they put together. / 3 /
Using the main results outlined below, match each result to whether it was found in 3, 4 or 5 year olds.
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Child Psychology
Main finding / Age group result was found in (3,4 or 5) /When these children disassembled a correct construction they put it back together again two-thirds of the time without intervention from the tutor. / 3
These two age groups were both able to identify the difference between acceptable constructions and those inappropriately constructed. / 3 and 4
The proportion of unassisted constructions was 64.5%. / 3
The proportion of unassisted constructions was 79.3%. / 4
The proportion of unassisted constructions was 87.5%. / 5
The median instances of constructions that were aided by the tutor were nine construction pieces. / 3
The median instances of constructions that were aided by the tutor were 6.5 construction pieces. / 4
The median instances of constructions that were aided by the tutor were three construction pieces. / 5
This age group were more likely to ignore the tutor’s suggestions. / 3
This age group were more likely to accept the tutor’s suggestions. / 5
Children in this age group had more direct interventions of the tutor showing them how to do the task. / 3
This age group had the most total verbal interventions from the tutor. / 4
Version 1 1 © OCR 2016
Child Psychology
[1] Wood, D., Bruner, J.S. and Ross, G. (1976) The role of tutoring in problem-solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, (2), 89–100.