ASSUMPTION OF COGNITIVE GOALS IN SCIENCE LEARNING

A new didactical approach named "Learning by Being" (LBB) is proposed and its correlation with current educational paradigms in science teaching is analysed. The key idea in LBB is the assumption by the students of cognitive goals, and three components are mandatory in LBB: a) student’s personal learning effort, b) student – teacher mutual feedback and c) metacognition. In other words, the ownership of cognitive goals and students’ deep intrinsic motivation. Several didactic approaches, used within LBB, are analysed: independent research that has an impact factor on cognitive achievement equal to 83%; knowledge of success criteria (impact factor – 113%); ability to reveal similarities and patterns (impact factor – 132%). The core of LBB is guided learning effort that corresponds to the notion of teacher–student harmonic oscillator when both things – guidance from teacher and student’s effort – are equally important. Keywords: conceptual understanding, learning by being, ownership of cognitive goals, science learning.