Split-attention worked examples lose their advantage over conventional practice, while integrated formats restore it¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2000 · checked against its sources 2026-10-14 (automated, 2 of 2 entries) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Geometry worked examples requiring learners to mentally integrate separate diagram and text sources showed no advantage over conventional problem solving, and conventional practice was faster on posttest time-to-solution. → Atkinson 2000 q2 i? Restructuring worked examples by integrating verbal explanations into the diagram enhanced learning relative to both conventional problem solving and split-source worked examples. → Atkinson 2000 (2)

Evidence¶

Atkinson 2000¶

Atkinson, R. K., Derry, S. J., Renkl, A., & Wortham, D. (2000). Learning from Examples: Instructional Principles from the Worked Examples Research. Review of Educational Research, 70(2), 181-214. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543070002181

q2 · i? · review · r3

The review reports, citing Tarmizi and Sweller, an experiment assigning participants to conventional practice or worked-example conditions using circle-geometry materials requiring integration of problem statement, theorems, and diagram. The review reports 'no significant differences in favor of worked examples on any of the measures'.

"they found in this case no significant differences in favor of worked examples on any of the measures. Instead, they found a difference in favor of conventional problem solving on time-to-solution on the posttest."

Atkinson 2000 (2)¶

Atkinson, R. K., Derry, S. J., Renkl, A., & Wortham, D. (2000). Learning from Examples: Instructional Principles from the Worked Examples Research. Review of Educational Research, 70(2), 181-214. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543070002181

q2 · i? · review · r3

The review reports, citing Tarmizi and Sweller, that Experiments 4 and 5 with an essentially similar design showed that 'integrating verbal explanations into a diagram enhanced learning' over both conventional practice and split-source examples.

"the authors found that simply restructuring the worked example by integrating verbal explanations into a diagram enhanced learning in comparison to conventional problem solving and split-source worked examples."

Studies bearing on this claim¶

How should a worked example be presented? This table gathers the studies behind this claim and the 3 narrower claims that bear on it: 2 distinct studies (2 review), q2, 0 of 2 with an effect size coded. One row per study, codes as each entry records them; no effect is averaged and no verdict is drawn. Built by scripts/synthesize_claim.py from eval/synthesis/; a row that looks wrong is fixed on the claim it comes from.

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Example-based sequences outperform problem-only practice for novices, and fading support is argued to aid transfer — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it

• The learning benefit of increasing integration is substantially larger for high element interactivity (complex) materials than for low element interactivity materials — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it

• Split Attention Effect Degrades Learning — a broader claim this one bears on
• Reviews report that the split-attention benefit for novices reverses into a redundancy effect for more experienced learners: Kalyuga et al. (2003) cite Kalyuga et al. (1998) and Yeung et al. (1998), and Ginns (2006) cites Kalyuga et al. (1998) — related
• Multimedia Principles Benefit Novices — a broader claim this one bears on
• Cognitive Load Reduction Improves Learning — a broader claim this one bears on
• For circle geometry problems, guidance in the form of subgoals or worked examples increased cognitive load during problem processing (Experiments 1-3) — related
• When guidance was presented in a unitary (integrated) format, worked examples were superior to conventional problems (Experiments 4 and 5) — related
• Variability of practice interacts with problem format: high variability aids learning from worked examples but harms learning from conventional problems — related
• Lesson variability benefits transfer only in combination with worked-example instruction, as shown by a variability-by-instruction interaction — related
• Studying worked examples improves novices' algebra performance on problems with the same structure as the examples — related
• The worked example effect failed to replicate for geometry and kinematics problems, and was reinstated when worked examples were restructured to reduce split attention — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• For novice learners, worked examples are more effective and often more efficient than conventional problem solving (the worked example effect) — related
• Worked examples result in better performance than conventional problem solving with no guidance, per prior work cited in the thesis — related