Exam 1_Concepts of instructional design

Question 1

Why do experiential, hands-on materials after basics?

Answer 1

• Context
• Comprehension, application of theoretical knowledge
• Prevent reinforcing misconceptions

Question 2

Guided/explicit instruction

Answer 2

• About 60% of time spent on explanations – once thoroughly rather than to each student individual once they make mistakes

Question 3

Problem-solving

Answer 3

• Getting from an initial state to a goal state

Question 4

Different kinds of problems

Answer 4

• Insight problems
• Transformation problems – sequence of actions bound by rules and restrictions

Question 5

General problem-solving strategies

Answer 5

• Work for every domain
• Inefficient
• E.g. trial-and-error, means-end-analysis

Question 6

Goal-free effect

Answer 6

• Teach/learn steps of the solution without knowing the goal
• Avoids means-end-analysis
• schemata

Question 7

Functional fixedness

Answer 7

• Phenomenon that it is difficult to come up with a new way to use a tool when a specific function has been assigned to it

Question 8

Example-based learning

Answer 8

• Studying examples of solutions rather than trying to solve problems
• Worked example, modelled example, or mixed (e.g. animated example)
• Based on cognitive, social-cognitive learning theories
• Whether and how to also incorporate practice problems is relatively inconsequential as long as examples are studied

Question 9

Scaffolding

Answer 9

• Providing support that is gradually removed as the learner becomes proficient

Question 10

fading

Answer 10

• reducing the guidance
• omitting more and more steps from a worked example

Question 11

Tranfer

Answer 11

• Low road transfer: spontaneous, automatic
• High road transfer: abstraction of underlying principles, facilitated by expertise
• Near transfer: only the surface structures are different, the solution is actually the same
• Far transfer: the solution needs to be adjusted

Question 12

Schemas

Answer 12

• conceptual frameworks, or clusters of knowledge
• encode complex generalizations about your experience of the structure of the environment
• changed through assimilation, accommodation to incorporate new experiences
• expertise is developed through building increasingly complex schemas from elements of lower-level schemas
• constitute only a single element in working memory

Question 13

Expertise reversal effect

Answer 13

• worked example effect is limited to novices, experts tend to do worse with guided instruction
• If schemas are already in place, instruction aimed at building them leads to redundancy
• Implication: gradual incorporation of more independent tasks while still providing enough support to minimise cognitive load)

Question 14

Redundancy effect

Answer 14

• additional information that is not directly relevant to learning, or same information in multiple forms

Question 15

split-attention effect

Answer 15

• learners need to process more than one source of information simultaneously

Question 16

modality effect

Answer 16

• using more than one mode of communication increases working memory capacity
• associated with split attention but offers an alternative technique to reduce cognitive load
• can lead to redundancy effect
• modality effect can help overcome the split-attention effect

Question 17

Ill-structured vs well-structured problems

Answer 17

• Well-structured: one solution and one way to get there, initial state, operations and restriction and goal state all clearly defined
• Ill-structured: some stages unclear, varied approaches possible

Question 18

Wicked problems

Answer 18

• Too ill-defined

Question 19

Self-regulation

Answer 19

• Self-assessment and task selection
• Self-assessment is notoriously difficult because people tend to overestimate themselves
• training helps but is not very transferable

Question 20

cognitive theory, analogical reasoning: how schemas guide problem solving: four phases

Answer 20

• encoding of examples – initial schema construction
• activating relevant analogs (schemas) from memory
• mapping the new problem to the analog (commonalities and differences)
• inducing an abstract schema or modifying the initial schema

Question 21

learning process according to Bandura (social cognitive theory)

Answer 21

• cognitive representation of model’s behaviour – outlasts the modelling situation
• attention on relevant aspects of the model – depends on salience of those aspects as well as characteristics of the model
• encoding relevant information in memory
• rehearsal through imitation – quality of imitation depends on quality of cognitive representation and mastery of the component skills
• motivational processes determine application

Question 22

instructional strategies to practice far transfer by emphasising the underlying principles, abstraction

Answer 22

• self-explanations – understanding the rationale behind the solution
• interleaved practice – experiencing differences and commonalities between problem categories
• comparing correct and erroneous examples
• labelling subgoals

Question 23

imagination effect

Answer 23

• Bandura: “cognitive rehearsal”
• imagining the material/procedure helps to learn it
• some prior knowledge required
• mostly for relatively complex material