Comparing Learning From Troubleshooting to Self-Diagnosis Activities When Supporting Student Learning by Worked Examples

• In Event: Algebra at the Secondary and Postsecondary Levels

Abstract

Troubleshooting activities require students to diagnose pre-prepared erroneous examples; i.e., erroneous solutions to problems that reflect common naïve ideas by detecting and explaining errors in these examples. Self-diagnosis activities require students to detect and explain errors in their own solutions. Worked examples, a step-by-step strategy for solving a problem may support students in these activities. While some studies indicate that the only students to benefit from troubleshooting activities were those whose naïve ideas resembled the ones in the erroneous examples, others report that all students benefitted. This raises the question of the beneficial effects of troubleshooting vs. self-diagnosis activities, since in self-diagnosis activities all students are expected to benefit. Here, we compared student learning in these two activities.

Authors

• Rafi Safadi, The Arab Academic College for Education in Isreal - Haifa

• Nadera Hawa, Academic Arab College of Education in Israel - Haifa