Using Feedback to Promote Transfer of Learning

• In Event: Cognitive Processes in Learning

Abstract

Surprisingly, prior research has found that there is little benefit to providing feedback that includes an explanation of the correct answer. However, most of these studies assessed retention rather than understanding. The present research investigated whether explanation feedback promotes superior transfer of knowledge. In two experiments, participants studied brief texts and then took an initial short answer test on concepts from the texts. After each question, they received correct answer feedback, explanation feedback, or no feedback. Two days later, participants returned for a final test that consisted of both repeated questions and new transfer questions. The results showed that the two feedback conditions produced equivalent performance on the repeated questions, but explanation feedback produced superior performance on the transfer questions.

Authors

• Andrew C. Butler, Duke University

• Namrata Godbole, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Elizabeth Marsh, Duke University