Combining tracing with imagining (tracing with closed eyes) reduced problem-solving times compared to no tracing and imagining in worked-example mathematics learning¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr2·q2
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q2 i? Wang et al. (2022) found that tracing then tracing with closed eyes (imagining) reduced problem-solving times relative to not using tracing and imagining during acquisition with worked examples in mathematics. → Alexander Skulmowski 2024
Evidence¶
Alexander Skulmowski 2024¶
Alexander Skulmowski. (2024). Learning by Doing or Doing Without Learning? The Potentials and Challenges of Activity-Based Learning. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09869-y
q2 · i? · review · r2
The review cites a recent study (Wang et al., 2022) combining a minor motor activity with a mental activity during worked-example-based mathematics learning. The combination reduced problem-solving times versus no tracing/imagining; no effect size is printed.
"the combination of tracing for a first set of problems and tracing with closed eyes (i.e., imagining) for the rest of the task can reduce problem-solving times compared to not using tracing and imagining during the acquisition of knowledge using worked examples in the context of mathematics."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- The reviewed tracing studies consistently confirm learning benefits of tracing across retention, comprehension, and transfer measures, though cognitive-load hypotheses were not confirmed in all studies — a broader claim this one bears on
- Example-based sequences outperform problem-only practice for novices, and fading support is argued to aid transfer — related
- Imagining worked examples benefits learners with adequate prior knowledge but harms performance for low-knowledge learners — related
- Combining drawing with mentally imagining produces a negative effect of drawing, qualified by a significant interaction — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
tracing-imagining-combination-reduces-solving-times |
title |
Combining tracing with imagining (tracing with closed eyes) reduced problem-solving times compared to no tracing and imagining in worked-example mathematics learning |
description |
Combining tracing with imagining (tracing with closed eyes) reduced problem-solving times compared to no tracing and imagining in worked-example mathematics learning |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
weak |
newest_evidence |
2024 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-21 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — alexander-skulmowski-2024 |
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