Self-explanation benefits learning across ages, but evidence is mixed for elementary-school children and effects shrink when time on task is equated¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r3 · q2–q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2021 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 A meta-analysis of self-explanation found a mean effect of 0.55 SDs, reduced to 0.41 SDs when time on task was equated, with slightly smaller effects for elementary (0.48) and high-school (0.43) than university (0.61) students. → Garvin Brod 2021 q2 i? In elementary mathematics, self-explanation gains over a time-equated active control (additional practice problems) were not significant, though it beat a non-time-equated control. → Garvin Brod 2021 (2)

Evidence¶

Garvin Brod 2021¶

Garvin Brod. (2021). Generative Learning: Which Strategies for What Age? Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09571-9

q3 · i2 · review · r3

The review reports Bisra et al.'s meta-analysis (mean 0.55 SDs; 0.41 SDs with time on task equated) showing an effect size of 0.48 SDs for elementary-school (10 studies) and 0.43 SDs for high-school (13 studies) students versus 0.61 SDs for university students.

"Bisra et al. (2018) reported a slightly reduced effect sizeof this strategy for elementary-school students (0.48 SDs, based on 10 studies) and high-school students (0.43 SDs, based on 13 studies) compared with university students (0.61 SDs)."

Garvin Brod 2021 (2)¶

Garvin Brod. (2021). Generative Learning: Which Strategies for What Age? Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09571-9

q2 · i? · review · r3

A study of second- through fourth-graders compared self-explanation with solving additional practice problems; gains over the non-time-equated control were larger, but there was no difference against the time-equated control, which the review calls a rigorous generative control.

"there was no difference in gains between the self-explanation condition and the time-equated control condition."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Practice testing is effective across all age groups, including lower elementary school, though some age-related increases in effectiveness emerge — related
• Prompting learners to self-explain, one generative strategy, improves learning by a moderate average amount; other generative activities are not tested by the evidence recorded here — a broader claim this one bears on
• Across ten learning techniques, distributed practice and practice testing have the largest effects and underlining and summarization the smallest — related
• Prompting learners to self-explain improves understanding and problem solving on immediate tests by a moderate average amount, with little evidence yet on delayed or classroom gains. — related