Project description

In this project, we investigated potential task- and student-related boundary conditions of learning by explaining, which is an instructional learning strategy to support students during learning new contents. Additionally, we examined the underlying mechanism of explaining. The results of this project are not only relevant for a theoretical understanding of the explanatory effect, but also for practical applications of this learning strategy, for example in schools.

Previous empirical studies have shown that students often have difficulties in learning new contents and therefore need to be provided with additional learning strategies. Learning by explaining has shown to support students during learning new contents. To generate an explanation, students first have to select the most relevant information, to organize the information in a coherent and understandable way, and to integrate the new information with their existing knowledge in the long-term memory. These cognitive processes are regarded to support deep learning processes and enhance learning. However, prior research showed only mixed findings regarding the effectiveness of generating an explanation to a fictitious person. Therefore, within this research project, potential boundary conditions of learning by explaining were investigated. Results showed that the explanatory effect depends on the explanatory modality and the complexity of the learning material. In more detail, students only benefited from explaining orally but not from explaining in written form, however, only if the learning material is complex. Additionally, students’ academic self-concept moderated the explanatory effect since students only benefited from explaining if they reported a low academic self-concept in the corresponding domain.