A Cognitive Theory of Inquiry Teaching

Collins' Cognitive Theory of Inquiry Teaching is a prescriptive model, primarily Socratic in nature, meaning
that it relies upon a dialectic process of discussion, questions and answers that occurs between the learner and
instructor. The process is guided in order to reach the predetermined objectives, which are described in this
theory as teacher goals and subgoals. Ultimately, the learners will discover "how to learn".
Teacher goals and subgoals is one of three main portions of Collins' theory. The second is the strategies used to
realize said goals and subgoals and the third is the control structure for selecting and pursuing the different
goals and subgoals.
Before we can discuss the three main points, we must first examine the differences between dependent and
independent variables which form the relationships that this system relies upon to facilitate learning. Dependent
variables are those that acted upon by another variable, whereas independent variables are those variables
which act upon the dependent variables (although dependent variables may act upon one another). It is
important to note that under this theory, variables may be classified as independent or dependent depending
upon the domain that is being considered.
This brings us to the first main point: the goals and subgoals of teachers. Under the theory of cognitive inquiry,
the top-level goals are to 1) teach a general rule or theory, 2) teach how to derive a general rule or theory.
The subgoals support the main goals. For 1) they consist of these aims. A) debug incorrect hypotheses, which
is the process of weeding out incorrect information and ideas concerning the subject matter, and B) teach how
to make predictions in novel cases. The latter is the development of the skill of applying held knowledge to new
situations, much in the way a math class may learn the principles of a formula and then start to apply the
formula to practical problems. The instructor guides the process, and the learners discover the many ways in
which the information learned can apply to new, heretofore unexamined problems.
The subgoals of 2) (Teach how to derive a general rule or theory) consist of A) teaching what questions to ask,
B) teaching what is the nature of a theory, C) teaching how to test a rule or theory, D) teaching students to
verbalize and defend rules or theories.
Already, two features of the theory make themselves apparent: Firstly, that Collins' theory is aimed at teaching
students how to learn and reason as opposed to simply absorbing subject matter. Critical and creative thinking
skills are aimed at, in order to develop learners who can formulate their own ideas about the subject (and all
subjects as an extension). In other words, not only does the learner deal with the subject matter at hand but also
with the skills needed to deal with any subject matter. Secondly, Collins' theory aims at teaching learners to
deal with and derive rules and theories as opposed to facts and systems. By concentrating on the given rules and
theories of a particular subject, once again the learner is given the tools with which to deal with the entire
subject through the process of critical thinking. An example would be teaching a student about film by
discussing different rules for shooting a film (editing and mise-en-scene principles) and film theory (realism,
montage, minimalist, etc...) so that the student would be able to derive ideas about the nature of film and use
those principles to deal with the concept of creating or reviewing other films. In particular, specific examples of
film, or cases, would be used to illustrate the rule or theory (or principle). In addition to these goals, it is
necessary to consider how to motivate the learners to seek specific content and put these skills into practice.
There are 10 primary strategies that are used in Collins' theory in order to develop this thinking. 1) Selecting
positive and negative exemplars, which consists of presenting cases that work in regards to the rule/theory
(positive) and cases that do not (negative), 2) Varying cases systematically, in order to demonstrate alternative
uses of a rule or theory, 3) Selecting counterexamples to enhance the critical dialogue by showing what other
examples demonstrate or fail to demonstrate, 4) Generating hypothetical cases, which allow thinking skills to be
put into practice regarding the subject matter, 5) Forming hypotheses and 6) Testing hypotheses which
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demonstrate the learner's grasp of the subject matter rules/theories, 7) Considering alternative predictions,
which allows the learner to think through specific cases, 8) Entrapping students, which is necessary in order to
direct them, 9) Tracing consequences to a contradiction, and lastly, 10) Questioning authority, which allows the
learner to truly examine possibilities and potentiality of the rules and theories they are developing.
Note that each of these strategies contribute to a critical dialogue between learner and teacher which forms the
Socratic root of the theory (and model). In order for this dialogue to be as efficient as possible, we come to the
third main point of Collins' theory: the need for a structure of control, governing teaching (which again, consists
primarily of the dialogue).
Collins recommends three specific elements to this structure: 1) Selecting cases that illustrate more important
factors before less important factors. This becomes important in regards to directing the learner (as opposed to
controlling the learner as with behaviorism (see below). By choosing the cases that illustrate more important
factors, the teacher can be more certain that these are the ones the learner will examine and consider. Less
important factors can distract from theories and rules that are the goals of the teachers. In addition, these less
important factors are sometimes incomprehensible without the more important factors to rest upon, just as
multiplication is difficult to comprehend without an understanding of addition.
2) Select cases to move from concrete to abstract factors. This is necessary in order to make contact with the
students experience, allowing them a window into the subject being discussed ( see Fields of Experience and
Vgotsky's Zone of Proximal Development). Without this window, the subject matter will often seem alien,
creating a severely negative impact upon the critical dialogue between learner and teacher.
3) Select more important or more frequent cases before less important or less frequent cases. This simply boils
down to practicality. Not only do the more important/frequent cases provide more resources for the dialogue,
but they are also the ones the learner is more likely to encounter in the search for content and detail.
Subgoals for the teacher are also created as omissions and errors in the learner's reasoning become identified. It
becomes necessary to diagnose and correct these "bugs" in the learner's reasoning. In the case of multiple bugs,
this process occurs one bug at a time. The teacher must have an agenda, in order to deal with the most important
bugs first. The agenda should be based on the following priorities: 1) Errors before omissions, 2) Prior steps
before later steps, 3) Shorter fixes before longer fixes, 4) More important factors before less important factors.
Each priority is set on the basis of the potential damage to the learner's critical thinking process and conception
of the rules and theories within the subject matter. For example, errors are more important to fix than omissions
because the consequences on the thinking process are more devastating. (A wrong idea leads to a more
inaccurate theory or rule than one based on accurate but incomplete information.) Fixing prior steps allows for a
more rational thinking process. Shorter fixes are easier to complete; and of course the more important factors
are self described as priorities.
Ultimately, by dealing with examples and cases the learner will be able to construct, identify and develop rules
and theories regarding the subject matter.
Collins' theory does have limitations. It is primarily useful for teaching principles as opposed to facts and
concepts. It is also not self-sufficient. Generally, some other form of instruction is necessary in order to provide
the background for the discovery process, which is the dialogue, to begin. It also is less effective than the
expository approach when dealing with specific theories and rules as it takes time to discover those rules
through the dialogue process. If very specific rules are aimed at, then the expository method will prove more
efficient in regards to time and energy spend on the subject matter.
Back to the menu of theories.
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