Inductive Reasoning in Third Grade: Intervention Promises and Constraints

The results of two evaluation studies with respect to a programme for enhancing inductive reasoning ability of third grade students are presented. The programme is a classroom version of the German programme 'Denktraining für Kinder 1' (Cognitive training for children; Klauer, 1989). In the first formative evaluation study, two experimental groups with 30 students in total and one control group with 9 students were involved. Observations during the lessons, and teachers' reports showed that teachers were able to implement the programme. Both experimental groups significantly outperformed the control group on a posttest immediately after the programme and on a follow-up test 3 1/2 months later. Further analyses of the data revealed tentative evidence of the superiority of a direct teaching method. In the second summative evaluation study, the same programme was applied to a larger sample (experimental groups: n = 99 in total; and control groups: n = 232 in total) of third grade students. On the basis of Study 1, the programme instructions were slightly changed. The experimental groups scored significantly higher on a posttest three months after completion of the programme. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.