In this study, the effects of reflective self-explanations on conceptual understanding and problem solving are investigated in a domain of computer programming. After completing a multiple-choice test, 33 students were asked to reflect on and explain why their answers were correct or incorrect. Groups were divided for post hoc analysis based on the degree of reflective self-explanation and prior knowledge. Results indicated that students who actively engaged in the reflective self-explanation process performed better in problem solving tasks with minimal guidance. Prior knowledge was critical for effective reflection, especially recalling principles. Although low prior knowledge students tended to persist with their faulty mental models, self-explanation activities helped them to repair their models. The relationship between reflective self-explanation and prior knowledge is discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AusubelD. P. (1968). Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Hart, Rinehart, & Winston, Inc.
2.
Berardi-ColettaB.BuyerL.DominowskiR., & RellingerE. (1995). Metacognition and problem solving: A process-oriented approach. Journal of Experimental Psychology-Learning Memory and Cognition, 21(1), 205–222.
3.
BoydE., & FalesA. (1983). Reflective learning: Key to learning from experience. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23(2), 99–117.
4.
BrockbankA., & McGillI. (2007). Facilitating reflective learning in higher education. Milton Keys, UK: Open University Press.
5.
ButlerD. L., & WinneP. L. (1995). Feedback and self-regulated learning: A theoretical synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 65(3), 245–281.
6.
ChiM. T. H. (2000). Self-explaining expository texts: The dual processes of generating inferences and repairing mental models. In GlaserR. (Ed.), Advances in instructional psychology (pp. 161–238). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
7.
ChiM. T. H.BassokM.LewisM. W.ReimannP., & GlaserR. (1989). Self-explanations: How students study and use examples in learning to solve problems. Cognitive Science, 13(2), 145–182.
8.
ChiM. T. H.de LeeuwN.ChiuM.-H., & La VancherC. (1994). Eliciting self-explanations improves understanding. Cognitive Science, 18, 439–477.
9.
ChiM. T. H., & VanLehnK. A. (1991). The content of physics self-explanations. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 1(1), 69.
10.
CorlissS. (2005). The effects of reflective prompts and collaborative learning in hypermedia problem-based learning environments on problem solving and metacognitive skills. Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
11.
DavisE. A. (2003). Prompting middle school science students for productive reflection: Generic and directed prompts. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(1), 91–142.
12.
DochyF.SegersM., & BuehlM. M. (1999). The relation between assessment practices and outcomes of studies: The case of research on prior knowledge. Review of Educational Research, 69(2), 145–186.
13.
DunningD.HeathC., & SulsJ. M. (2004). Flawed self-assessment. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5(3), 69–106.
14.
GlenbergA. M.WilkinsonA., & EpsteinW. (1982). The illusion of knowing: Failure in the self-assessment of comprehension. Memory & Cognition, 10(6), 597–602.
15.
HansfordB. C., & HattieJ. A. (1982). The relationship between self and achievement/performance measures. Review of Educational Research, 52(1), 123–142.
16.
HoffmanB., & SpatariuA. (2008). The influence of self-efficacy and metacognitive prompting on math problem-solving efficiency. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 33(4), 875–893.
17.
KingA. (1991). Effects of training in strategic questioning on children's problem-solving performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(3), 307–317.
18.
KingA. (1997). ASK to THINK-TEL WHY: A model of transactive peer tutoring for scaffolding higher level complex learning. Educational Psychologist, 32(4), 221–235.
19.
KingA.StaffieriA., & AdelgaisA. (1998). Mutual peer tutoring: Effects of structuring tutorial interaction to scaffold peer learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(1), 134–152.
20.
LeeA. Y., & HutchisonL. (1998). Improving learning from examples through reflection. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 4(3), 187–210.
21.
MabeP. A. I., & WestS. G. (1982). Validity of self-evaluation of ability: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67(3), 280–296.
22.
RenklA. (1997). Learning from worked-out examples: A study on individual differences. Cognitive Science, 21(1), 1–29.
23.
RenklA. (2002). Worked-out examples: Instructional explanations support learning by self-explanations. Learning and Instruction, 12, 529–556.
24.
RosenshineB.MeisterC., & ChapmanS. (1996). Teaching students to generate questions: A review of the intervention studies. Review of Educational Research, 66(2), 181–221.
25.
RyanM. (1984). Monitoring text comprehension: Individual differences in epistemological standards. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(2), 248–258.
26.
SchönD. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
27.
Van den BoomG.PaasF.Van MerriënboerJ. J. G., & Van GogT. (2004). Reflection prompts and tutor feedback in a web-based learning environment: Effects on students' self-regulated learning competence. Computers in Human Behavior, 20(4), 551–567.
