- Title: Teaching with Worked Examples – Why the Selection of Problems for Exemplification is Critical
- Authors: Wesenberg et al
- Access the original paper here
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Paper summary
This research paper investigates the impact of problem selection in creating worked examples for teaching problem-solving skills. The authors argue that the choice of problems influences the ambiguity of the resulting examples, with more ambiguous examples leading to poorer learning outcomes. Four studies are presented, demonstrating that less ambiguous examples consistently resulted in better test performance, fewer misconceptions, and more accurate self-assessment of learning. The findings highlight the importance of careful problem selection in instructional design and suggest that learners prioritize examples over explicit explanations. The research concludes by outlining limitations and suggesting directions for future studies.
What are the key implications for teachers in the classroom?
Here are some key implications for teachers in the classroom based on the sources you provided:
- The selection of problems used in worked examples can significantly impact student learning. Even seemingly minor variations in the problem statement can affect the ambiguity of the worked example, influencing students’ ability to understand the concept being taught.
- When time and resources are limited, and teachers can only use a few worked examples, they should pay close attention to the problems they select for those examples.
- Teachers should carefully consider the potential for students to misinterpret the worked example and select problems that minimize this risk.
- Problems that lead to solutions that coincidentally include elements from the problem statement should be avoided, as they tend to be more ambiguous and can lead to misconceptions.
- Teachers should be aware that students often prioritize learning from examples over explanations, even when provided with both. This highlights the importance of carefully selecting problems for worked examples to ensure they effectively convey the intended concept.
- The ambiguity of worked examples can be a significant source of misconceptions. By selecting problems that lead to less ambiguous examples, teachers can help prevent students from developing these misconceptions.
- Students may not explore all possible explanations or interpretations of a worked example, particularly in low-stakes learning environments. They may settle on the first explanation that seems plausible, even if it is incorrect. Teachers may need to encourage students to consider multiple explanations and to critically evaluate their understanding.
- While minimally guided learning approaches suggest that confusion and difficulty can be beneficial for learning, the sources indicate that the ambiguity in worked examples, even when accompanied by explanations, may hinder rather than help learning.
- Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of less ambiguous worked examples compared to presenting multiple examples. This could help to optimize instructional efficiency by reducing the cognitive load on students.
- The impact of problem selection on learning may be influenced by the stakes of the learning situation. Students may be more likely to scrutinize their understanding and identify errors when the learning task has higher stakes.
The sources also highlight areas for future research:
- Further research is needed to understand the effect of problem selection in learning environments where multiple worked examples are used.
- The influence of presenting solution steps, rather than just the final solution, in worked examples with varying ambiguity needs further investigation.
- The role of plausibility of incorrect explanations derived from ambiguous examples, especially in high-stakes learning environments, requires further study.
- The effect of varying the order of inductive and deductive instruction on learning from ambiguous examples needs to be investigated.
- Future research should examine the impact of ambiguous examples on learning when learners derive both correct and incorrect explanations, or when incorrect explanations are not highly plausible.
- Additional research is needed to determine the general problem attributes, beyond numerical patterns, that increase the likelihood of ambiguity effects across different learning domains.
- Identifying reliable indicators for problems that might lead to more ambiguous examples is crucial for providing practical guidance to educators.
Quote
The results confirm that the selection of problems to exemplify influences the ambiguity of worked examples and indicate that selecting problems that lead to MAE impair (meta)comprehension
