ResearchMeta-analysisEvidence: Large study or reviewAges 3–18
Does discovery-based instruction enhance learning?
Author or publisher Alfieri et al., Journal of Educational Psychology Published 2011 Reviewed by eduStack editors Last checked 13 Nov 2026
1What the study found
Learners left to discover things entirely on their own learned less than with explicit teaching, but discovery with support - feedback, worked examples or being asked to explain - worked better than other methods.
2Sources and check record
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021017 Alfieri et al., Journal of Educational Psychology. Does discovery-based instruction enhance learning?. 2011. doi:10.1037/a0021017 Last checked · 13 Nov 2026