Educational Effects of Contextual Learning in Serbian Language Classes

Abstract

This research demonstrates the results of the first experimental assessment of the educational outcomes of contextual learning in the traditional and innovative teaching systems (responsible teaching and different complexity levels teaching). The ultimate aim of the experimental assessment is to determine whether the contextual learning in teaching process results in more favorable educational effects while being realistically assessed and whether it is possible to enhance the contextual learning and innovative teaching in our schools to overcome the limitations of mainly de-contextual learning based on the conservative didactic paradigm. During the 2018/19 school year, the experiment was carried out with grade five students from three elementary schools within the field of Serbian language. Each of the three elementary schools had two experimental and two assessment classes. The experimental effectiveness of the didactically and methodologically founded new exercises of contextual learning and complementary teaching was assessed. The method of an experiment with parallel groups, method of analysis and synthesis, and comparative method were applied in the research. After the initial and final assessment, it was determined that the systematic exercises of the contextual learning compared to the dominating de-contextual learning exercises made a significant impact on the increase of educational achievements determined by the reading speed and text comprehension tests. No significant impact was detected on the students’ speaking ability. The obtained results provide more reliable starting points for more systematic and comprehensive pedagogical, psychological, didactical, and methodological research of contextual learning in the teaching process and indicate positive educational effects.

Keywords

• contextual learning
• de-contextual learning
• responsible teaching
• different complexity levels teaching
• educational effects