2005/10/24 by Robert Calin‐Jageman, Hilary Horn Ratner · 2 citations
Psychology · #Artificial intelligence #Child and Animal Learning Development #Cognitive psychology #Computer science #Control (management) #Developmental psychology #Educational Strategies and Epistemologies #Encoding (memory) #Expert system #Group (periodic table) #Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods #Psychology
paper · doi:10.1207/s1532690xci2304_4
openalex publication_date 2005/10/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
We examined the relation between self-explaining and encoding among kindergartners. For 5 days, children (n = 27) took turns solving addition problems with an adult expert who always used an advanced addition strategy. During the game, children explained the expert's answers (Explain-Expert), explained their own answers (Explain-Novice), or did not generate explanations (Control). Encoding of the expert's strategy was measured each day by asking children to describe how the expert had solved the last problem. Explain-Expert children encoded more and learned more than children in the Control group; Explain-Novice children showed neither advantage. The Explain-Expert group also acquired the expert's strategy more rapidly and used it more frequently than the other groups. These results suggest that explanations enhance learning in part by facilitating encoding.