Module 3: COMPARISON OF INDUCTIVE AND DEDUCTIVE APPROACHES

INDUCTIVE APPROACH	DEDUCTIVE APPROACH
Base: Inductive reasoning	Base: Deductive reasoning
Proceeds from: Particular to general Concrete to abstract	Proceeds from: General to particular Abstract to concrete
Method: A psychological method A method of discovery and stimulates intellectual powers	Method: An unpsychological method A method of presentation and does not develop originality and creativity.
Learning: Emphasis is on reasoning. Encourages meaningful learning	Learning: Emphasis is on memory Encourages rote learning.
Level: Most suitable for initial stages of learning	Level: Suitable for practice and application
Class: Suitable for lower classes	Class: Most suitable for higher classes
Participation: Enhances active participation of the students	Participation: Makes the student passive recipient of knowledge
Time: Lengthy, time consuming and laborious	Time: Short, concise and elegant
Facilitates discovery of rules and generalizations	Enhances speed, skill and efficiency in solving problems

      Induction and deduction are not opposite modes of thought. There can be no induction without deduction and no deduction without induction. Inductive approach is a method for establishing rules and generalization and deriving formulae, whereas deductive approach is a method of applying the deduced results and for improving skill and efficiency in solving problems. Hence a combination of both inductive and deductive approach is known as “inducto-deductive approach” is most effective for realizing the desired goals.