Introducing Complex Situations in Primary Education:Their Impact on Student’s Results in Terms of Equity

Abstract

This paper examined the equity of using complex situations in teaching Science and
Elementary Technology in 20 primary schools, 38 classes (only fourth years), located in Huye
district in Rwanda. The sample was divided into four groups: 9 classes practiced the “teaching
situations”, 9 dealt with “integration situations”, 9 mixed “teaching and integration situations”
and 11 classes made a “reference group” that did not use any of those approaches.
One pre-test and three post-tests have been done by learners from those classes during the 2012
school year. Every test had a “resource” test and a “situation” test with a similar level of
difficulties. The analysis indicated progressive increase of marks, especially, for the classes
which practiced the “integration situations”. The findings showed a priority of starting with the
“integration situations” for the development of the learner’s autonomy and of a cognitive
development.