Prompt learners to monitor performance-based rather than explanation-based cues in the initial problem-solving phase¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

For the initial problem-solving phase of worked-example learning, the authors' practical recommendation is to have learners base their self-assessments on their problem-solving performance rather than on their ability to explain the solutions. The article concludes: "it is more efficient to prompt learners to monitor performance-based rather than explanation-based cues in the initial problem-solving phase." Explanation-based cues reached similar accuracy only when learners additionally received cue criteria instruction and self-explanation prompts during problem-solving, so the simpler performance-based prompt is the efficient default.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Learners must actually solve problems during the phase so that a performance cue is available to monitor.

Constraints¶

• The article notes that when learners solve problems via shallow strategies, correct solutions can make the performance cue misleading with respect to understanding; and explanation-based cues required both criteria instruction and self-explanation prompts to perform comparably in Experiment 2.

Target Learners¶

• university students learning cognitive skills from worked examples

Target Learning Goals¶

• accurate self-assessment of understanding of solution rationales

Claims¶

• Prompting learners to infer self-assessments from performance-based cues yields better self-assessment accuracy than prompting explanation-based cues in the initial problem-solving phase [+M]
• Informing learners about the to-be-monitored cue before the problem-solving phase improves self-assessment accuracy compared with informing them only afterwards [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Future self-assessment interventions should redirect students' attention from invalid cues toward valid, predictive cues rather than providing self-assessment accuracy feedback

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Waldeyer, J., Endres, T., Roelle, J., Baars, M., & Renkl, A. (2024). How to Optimize Self-Assessment Accuracy in Cognitive Skill Acquisition When Learning from Worked Examples. Educational Psychology Review, 36, 103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09944-4