ERIC Number: EJ925829
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Sep
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-1315
Effects of Identical Example-Problem and Problem-Example Pairs on Learning
van Gog, Tamara
Computers & Education, v57 n2 p1775-1779 Sep 2011
Examples are often an integral part of online learning environments directed at the acquisition of problem-solving skills. An unresolved issue, however, is when examples should be provided to learners. Prior research has suggested that example-problem pairs are more effective than problem-example pairs for novice learners. However, in those studies, the problem-example pairs condition may have been hindered by the fact that the examples and problems were not identical within and across pairs. The present experiment therefore employed a between-subjects design with two conditions to compare the effects of learning to solve one particular problem from studying/practicing either in an example-problem-example-problem sequence (EP condition; n = 16) or in a problem-example-problem-example sequence (PE condition; n = 16). Results show that participants in the EP condition outperformed their counterparts in the PE condition during the learning phase, but that this difference had disappeared on the test tasks after participants in the PE group had also studied the example a second time.
Descriptors: Electronic Learning, Problem Solving, Educational Experiments, Computer Assisted Instruction, Instructional Design, Educational Strategies, Instructional Effectiveness, Teaching Methods
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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