Self-Explanation Principle: Difference between revisions
Alice zhang (talk | contribs) |
Alice zhang (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
The self-explanation principle is one of the advanced principles of multimedia learning. To benefit from multimedia learning environments that combine multiple sources of information, students are needed to learn how to make connections between the sources of information, thereby mastering cognitively challenging concepts.<ref name="Mayer">Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). "Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning." Cambridge University Press. | The self-explanation principle is one of the advanced principles of multimedia learning. To benefit from multimedia learning environments that combine multiple sources of information, students are needed to learn how to make connections between the sources of information, thereby mastering cognitively challenging concepts.<ref name="Mayer">Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). "Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning." Cambridge University Press. | ||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
Learners use this principle to generate inferences and then map those inferences to their existing mental models. The self-explanation is one of the strategies encouraged by Ruth and Michelene<ref name="Mayer">Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). "Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning." Cambridge University Press. | By generating inferences and mapping them to existing mental models, students engage in self-explanation to learn. When differences occur, self-explanation helps students adjust their mental models appropriately. Students identify gaps in their knowledge and fill them in. During this process, students gain a deeper understanding of the domain and acquire multiple strategies for solving subsequent problems. Learners use this principle to generate inferences and then map those inferences to their existing mental models. The self-explanation is one of the strategies encouraged by Ruth and Michelene<ref name="Mayer">Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). "Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning." Cambridge University Press. | ||
</ref> is self-explanation. Students make inferences from the learning materials by explaining themselves, identifying misconceptions, and repairing mental models in self-explanation, a productive and generative learning activity. As with other cognitive skills, self-explanation facilitates deep and robust learning and improves over time. | </ref> is self-explanation. Students make inferences from the learning materials by explaining themselves, identifying misconceptions, and repairing mental models in self-explanation, a productive and generative learning activity. As with other cognitive skills, self-explanation facilitates deep and robust learning and improves over time. | ||
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
Revision as of 00:31, 19 November 2022
Overview
The self-explanation principle is one of the advanced principles of multimedia learning. To benefit from multimedia learning environments that combine multiple sources of information, students are needed to learn how to make connections between the sources of information, thereby mastering cognitively challenging concepts.[1]
By generating inferences and mapping them to existing mental models, students engage in self-explanation to learn. When differences occur, self-explanation helps students adjust their mental models appropriately. Students identify gaps in their knowledge and fill them in. During this process, students gain a deeper understanding of the domain and acquire multiple strategies for solving subsequent problems. Learners use this principle to generate inferences and then map those inferences to their existing mental models. The self-explanation is one of the strategies encouraged by Ruth and Michelene[1] is self-explanation. Students make inferences from the learning materials by explaining themselves, identifying misconceptions, and repairing mental models in self-explanation, a productive and generative learning activity. As with other cognitive skills, self-explanation facilitates deep and robust learning and improves over time.
Evidence
A two-by-two design with self-explanation prompts or no instructional explanations is used in the experiment of Schworm and Renkl [2] (2006) with 47 students from low- and medium-track German schools and 33 from high-track German schools. Self-explanations were created by students by typing, and instructional explanations were provided on demand by clicking a button. Different versions of the program were compared to determine how they affected objective and subjective learning outcomes, perceived helpfulness, and learning time. Self-explanations were assessed as learning process data.
The immediate post-test showed that participants who had to self-explain but were not given instructional explanations performed the best, while those who did neither have to self-explain nor receive instruction explanations performed the worst. Those who received instructional explanations and were prompted to explain themselves did better than those who received no prompts or no explanations but did worse than those who received prompts without explanations[1]. Learning outcomes were positively affected by self-explanation prompts, whereas instructional explanations may reduce student teachers' self-explanation activities. It was therefore more effective to self-explain alone rather than with direct instruction to enhance learning. Therefore, the self-explanation principle is a positively effective principle of multimedia learning.
Design Implications
The self-explanation principle is widely used in exams and practices in school work. For example, utilizing scaffolds to help students self-explain is a better way to motivate them[3]. In Figure[3]., there is a question about counting the probability. As students answer the questions, they fill in the blanks with scaffolding prompts to explain them. In this case, novice learners may benefit from this technique, as they may lack sufficient prior knowledge to generate open-ended self-explanations[1].
Challenges and/or Alternative theories
Taking a critical stance regarding the self-explanation principle, despite the fact that self-explanation is an effective strategy, there are boundary conditions that limit its generalizability[1]. In simpler procedural domains where rules or patterns cannot be logically explained or deduced, self-explanation may not be as effective for building robust mental models of challenging conceptual domains. Self-explanation may encourage students to think deeply about the material and result in better learning than controls without self-explanation. However, before making broad statements regarding self-explanations generality and applicability, it is imperative to examine both the educational objectives as well as the form in which it is implemented.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). "Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning." Cambridge University Press.
- ↑ Schworm, S., & Renkl, A. (2006). Computer-supported example-based learning: When instructional explanations reduce self-explanations. Computers & Education , 46 (4), 426– 445.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Berthold, K., Eysink, T. H. S., & Renkl, A. (2009). Assisting self-explanation prompts are more effective than open prompts when learning with multiple representations. Instructional Science , 37 (4), 345– 363.