No significant interaction between condition and pre-test knowledge on learning outcomes in either topic¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2025 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 2 of 2 entries) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? The condition × pre-test interaction was not significant for experimental design outcomes. → Eman Ganaiem 2025 q3 i? The condition × pre-test interaction was not significant for graphing outcomes. → Eman Ganaiem 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Eman Ganaiem 2025¶

Eman Ganaiem, Ido Roll. (2025). Investigating the order of example-problem sequences when learning experimental design and graphing competencies. Instructional Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09750-7

q3 · i? · causal · r2

In the experimental design MANCOVA (n = 113 students analysed), the condition-by-pre-test interaction was non-significant (p = 0.870, partial η2 = 0.006): the study found no evidence that the benefit of worked examples first differed with prior knowledge, which does not support the hypothesis that low prior knowledge students benefit most from WE first; equivalence was not tested.

"Also, there is no significant interaction between condition and pre-test: Wilk's Λ = 0988, F (4, 212) = 0.315, p = 0.870, partial η2 = 0.006."

Eman Ganaiem 2025 (2)¶

Eman Ganaiem, Ido Roll. (2025). Investigating the order of example-problem sequences when learning experimental design and graphing competencies. Instructional Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09750-7

q3 · i? · causal · r2

In the graphing MANCOVA (n = 120 students analysed, of 199 who took part, after high attrition; groups of 38, 40 and 42), the condition-by-pre-test interaction was also non-significant (p = 0.138); equivalence was not tested.

"There was also no significant interaction between condition and pre-test: Wilk's Λ = 0.940, F (4, 226) = 1.760, p = 0.138, partial η 2 = 0.03."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Student attributes showed no main effects on outcomes except interest in science in graphing, and did not interact with sequence — related
• Experimental and control groups did not differ significantly on pre-test NOS or SK scores — related
• Prior knowledge strongly predicts post-test application and transfer scores in both topics — related
• Order of worked examples and problem solving had no significant effect on application and transfer scores in experimental design or graphing — related
• For biochemistry students with relatively higher topic-specific prior knowledge, instruction-first (I-PS) outperformed problem-solving-first (PS-I) on a near-transfer test — related
• For introductory biology students with low topic-specific prior knowledge, problem-solving-first (PS-I) outperformed instruction-first (I-PS) on a near-transfer test — related
• The relationship between learners' prior knowledge and the optimal instructional sequence may not be straightforward — related
• Immediate unsupported application on a new passage showed no material-condition effect and no Proficiency × Material interaction, indicating no short-term dependence cost — related
• Neither instructional sequence produced significant far-transfer effects in either experiment — related
• Conceptual feedback significantly reduces the effect of prior knowledge on achievement — reports the opposite