An individual-then-collaborative activity structure (I+C) yields better delayed recall than collaborative-then-individual (C+I) and fully individual (I) structures¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2026 · checked against its sources 2026-10-21 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 I+C students scored higher globally on comprehension and recall post-tests than C+I and I students, with significant differences in recall (η² = 0.12) and comprehension versus the individual condition only (η² = 0.03). → Amante 2026

Evidence¶

Amante 2026¶

Amante, C., Lucero, M., & Montanero, M. (2026). Learning with concept maps: the effect of activity structure and the type of task. Instructional Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09764-1

q3 · i1 · causal · r2

Two-way ANOVA on 226 undergraduates randomly assigned to 12 conditions compared three activity structures. The I+C condition outperformed the individual condition in comprehension ("F (2, 223) = 3.84, p =.023, η2 = 0.03") and both other structures in recall (η2 = 0.12).

"The difference was significant with the individual work condition in terms of the level of understanding the contents, F (2, 223) = 3.84, p =.023, η2 = 0.03, and with both conditions in the recall variable F (2, 223) = 5.86, p =.004, η2 = 0.12."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Long-Term Memory — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Self-constructing a complete concept map produces better delayed recall than completing, sorting a map, or writing a summary, with the largest effect in the I+C structure — related
• Summary writing produced no significant comprehension improvement and the most disputational talk, and did not significantly differ from completing a map in learning outcomes — related
• Task type and activity structure interact on recall: self-constructed maps help mainly when individually prepared and then discussed in pairs — related
• In one reviewed study, students who first collaborate and then complete an activity individually in the VRL are more successful than students who complete an individual task first and then collaborate — reports the opposite
• Self-constructed collaborative concept maps trigger more deep exploratory talk and less non-dialogic talk than completing or sorting maps, which yield mostly superficial exploratory talk — related
• Technology type, collaboration level, and intervention duration show no significant differences in concept-mapping effects — reports the opposite