A teacher taught the same new science topic to two Year 8 classes for four weeks. Each class contained 28 pupils. The classes had similar prior attainment, received the same amount of teaching time and completed the same 40-mark test.
| Class | Feedback and lesson activities | Median test score | Of the pupils who got the first challenge wrong, percentage who attempted a second challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder | The teacher said, "You kept trying different methods until one worked." All pupils completed tasks requiring them to compare explanations and apply ideas to unfamiliar examples. | 29 out of 40 | 75% |
| Birch | The teacher said, "You are naturally gifted at science." Pupils were given visual, auditory or practical activities according to their stated preference and mainly copied definitions. | 23 out of 40 | 43% |
Using Dweck's mindset theory and Willingham's ideas about learning, describe how the differences between the two classes' results could have arisen and how the teacher should plan future lessons.
27 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 2.3 Application: The changing role of education, covering 2.3.1 Applying Piaget's ideas to education and 2.3.2 Applying learning theories to education. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.