Variability of practice interacts with problem format: high variability aids learning from worked examples but harms learning from conventional problems¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr2·q2
Currency · newest study 2019 · 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? In geometrical problem solving, the expected interaction between problem format (worked examples, conventional problems) and variability (low, high) was found, with high variability positive under low load and negative under high load. → Sweller 2019
Evidence¶
Sweller 2019¶
Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design: 20 Years Later. Educational Psychology Review, 31, 261–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5
q2 · i? · review · r2
Paas and van Merriënboer's (1994a) experiment in geometrical problem solving, as reported in this review, tested the predicted format-by-variability interaction; the predicted interaction was found as hypothesised, with no effect size printed in the review.
"Indeed, the expected interaction between problem format (worked examples, conventional problems) and variability (low, high) was found."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
-
Encoding variability across varied example contexts produces decontextualization supporting transfer (review reports DiVesta and Peverly) — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
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Split-attention worked examples lose their advantage over conventional practice, while integrated formats restore it — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
- Studying worked examples improves novices' algebra performance on problems with the same structure as the examples — related
- When guidance was presented in a unitary (integrated) format, worked examples were superior to conventional problems (Experiments 4 and 5) — related
- The worked example effect is explained by reduced element interactivity relative to problem solving, and reverses with expertise — a broader claim this one bears on
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
variability-effect-format-interaction |
title |
Variability of practice interacts with problem format: high variability aids learning from worked examples but harms learning from conventional problems |
description |
Variability of practice interacts with problem format: high variability aids learning from worked examples but harms learning from conventional problems |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2019 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-13 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — sweller-2019 |
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