“It’s too bad someone can’t do a study to see which way (direct instruction or hands-on learning) works best.”
This comment came from a colleague in a discussion on how well my remedial Algebra class did with the assessment on a particular non-traditional lesson. Before I share my thoughts on this, let me offer some background on the class and some data.

The demographics of the class is quite challenging: 4 SDC (special day/workshop), 5 ELL (english language learners), 7 IS (special ed), 5 Academy (highly at-risk), out of a total of 30. While the others don’t have an acronym after their name, they still have a history of struggling in school. And I absolutely love teaching this group! I share all this first, because the data I am about to show will be all that much more impressive.

I began our previous unit on Solving Equations with a pre-assessment of the 6 types of equations that they were going to learn to solve:

1) x + 4 = 31
2) 4x = 28
3) 7x + 5 = 26
4) 10x + 2 – 4x = 44
5) 11x – 4 = 3x + 12
6) 9(x – 2) = 45

Then I spent a week of direct instruction (D.I.) and 2 days with the simplifying and linear equations components of the Truffles lesson, after which I assessed them for a second time on the same 6 equations. I then led the students through the Hippity-Hoppity lesson for 4 days, and assessed them again on the same 6 equations. The progression of results is shown below. (There are only 22 students shown due to the shuffling of students classes at the beginning of the year.)

My class went from only 36% getting 5 or 6 correct, to 90% after the Direct Instruction and Truffles lessons, to 100% after the Hippity-Hoppity lesson. It is worth noting that the number of students correctly solving all 6 equations rose from 59% to 86% after the last “active-learning” activity.

My friend made his “too bad we can’t find out which way is best” comment having only heard about the last lesson, not knowing the work I put into the unit throughout. That work demonstrates a variety of strategies that might be classified as direct instruction or hands-on learning. He didn’t realize that I had implemented several ways, not just one.

I utilized several strategies because there is a great deal of research that shows that the best way is a balanced approached. However, that balanced approach is not between methodologies (direct instruction vs discovery/hands-on/active learning); it is between skill acquisition and critical thinking. I chose to use lectures and guided practice to impart skills, the Truffles lesson to instill understanding of a variable, and the Hopping lesson to offer an application of the topic. These last two lessons also required my students to practice other skills that they lack: reading and writing in a mathematical context, and following multi-step directions.

So we should tell all of our colleagues that we do indeed know a best way. It is not my way, your way, or their way, but a balanced way.