Abstract
Example-based learning environments are being used in many different domains. However, examples contain convenient instructions for learners and, therefore, may invite passive and superficial processing. To avoid this unwanted and potentially harmful side-effect, The present experimental study combined worked examples with problems to be solved. The effects of this instructional measure were ...
Abstract
Example-based learning environments are being used in many different domains. However, examples contain convenient instructions for learners and, therefore, may invite passive and superficial processing. To avoid this unwanted and potentially harmful side-effect, The present experimental study combined worked examples with problems to be solved. The effects of this instructional measure were investigated using students of accounting as participants. Fifteen junior clerks from a local bank were exposed to the combined learning method, 15 other apprentices were to just study the examples. The combined method turned out to be superior in increasing both the quantity and quality of elaborations of the material. In addition, it produced significantly and substantially better transfer to related problems. There fore, it is recommended to integrate example-based and problem-based learning in instructional design.