Die invloed van Feuerstein se instrumentele verrykingsprogram op die ontwikkeling van denkvaardighede by onderwysstudente

Abstract

This study was undertaken in an attempt to establish the cognitive development of student teachers and to determine the impact of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment programme on the development and/or improvement of the cognitive skills of student teachers. A literature study was undertaken to highlight the importance and nature of thinking abilities necessary for learning, as well as the role of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment programme in this regard. Explanatory mixed method research by means of testing, as well as a narrative analysis was employed. An empirical study with a pre-experimental research design in which intervention research was incorporated was conducted over a period of twelve weeks with twenty four second-year student teachers majoring in Mathematics. The students were randomly assigned to two groups. A pretest with the DAT-L test was administered to both groups to determine the extent of their thinking skills development. After the pre-test group 1 was exposed to intervention with the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment programme for a period of six weeks in an attempt to develop and/or improve thinking skills. After the intervention program group 1 was tested again with the DAT-L test in order to determine if the intervention programme had developed and/or improved thinking skills or not. After this, group 2 was exposed to intervention with the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment programme for a period of six weeks. After the six week period both groups were tested again with the DAT-L test to determine the impact of the intervention programme on the thinking skills of group 2 and to establish what happened to the thinking skills of group 1 during the period in which they were not exposed to the intervention. In support of the data gained through the test results, participants were requested to write up their perceptions of and experiences related to the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment programme in a narrative. The narratives were analysed and the results were utilized to support the data obtained with the quantitative study. Results indicated that room exists for improving the thinking skills of student teachers and that Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment programme possesses the latent potential to improve and develop thinking skills. The study is concluded with recommendations on how to develop and improve thinking skills.