Learning by explaining - Or better by listening?

Journal/Book: Z Entwicklungspsychol Padago. 1996; 28: Rohnsweg 25, D-37085 Gottingen, Germany. Hogrefe-Verlag GmbH & Co. 148-168.

Abstract: The effectiveness of cooperative learning arrangements is often attributed to the fact that the learners are not only ''passive'' recipients, as is typical of traditional forms of learning, but also ''active'' explainers. The goal of the present experiment was to compare explaining vs listening with respect to motivational effects and to learning results. 40 first year university students of education learned probability calculus from worked-out examples. They were grouped together in pairs (20 dyads). After an individual learning phase, the two learners were brought together and took over the roles of the explainer and the listener, respectively. It turned out that the role of the listener was more favorable with respect to both motivational effects and learning results. There was some evidence that learners must have some prior teaching or tutoring experience in order to effectively learn by explaining.

Note: Article A Renkl, Univ Munich, Inst Padagog Psychol & Empir Padagog, Leopoldstr 13, D-80802 Munich, Germany

Keyword(s): learning by teaching; cooperative learning; tutoring; learning by worked-out examples; transfer; anxiety; intrinsic motivation; SELF-EXPLANATIONS; BENEFITS

Zurück | Weiter