The rock cycle: A complex object of learning

In this article a learning study is presented, and the object of learning is sedimentary rocks' formation and decomposition, a part of the rock-cycle. The study included 5 lessons in 5 different groups of 5th grade pupils. 85 students and 7 teachers participated in the study. The lessons were 40 minutes each and the teacher and location of all classes remained constant. 4 lessons were planned based on variation theory, while one lesson served as control. The results show that the way the teacher presents the aspects of the object of learning has a great impact on the pupils' learning outcome. The contrast between the rock-cycle and the water-cycle made the results increase, but the contrast between the rock-cycle and the organic cycle did not affect the learning outcome in a positive way. As the pupils had an understanding about the water-cycle, this understanding seems to help them understand the rock-cycle, a kind of transfer from a known phenomenon to an unknown phenomenon.