Inventing Prepares Learning Motivationally but Cuts Down Learning Outcomes?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 114
  In Roundtable Session: Designing Motivationally Supportive Lessons

Abstract

Inventing and productive failure both aim at preparing learners for subsequent direct instruction. These preparation activities can make the learner aware of knowledge gaps (cognitive effects) and more curious about and interested in the learning content (motivational effects). They are shown to be efficient even though invented solutions are often suboptimal. In an experiment (N = 42), we tested to what extent inventing activities prepare teacher students to learn from a learning environment about learning strategy diagnosis. The inventing group invented criteria to evaluate learning strategies while the solution condition studied the same problem in a worked-out solution version. Results show that inventing enhanced motivational measures, but reduced learning outcomes. Results can be discussed in the context of example-based learning.

Authors

• Inga Glogger, University of Freiburg

• Julian Kappich, University of Freiburg

• Rolf Schwonke, University of Freiburg

• Matthias Nückles, University of Freiburg

• Lars Holzaepfel, University of Freiburg

• Alexander Renkl, University of Freiburg