The Impact of Text Coherence on Learning by Self-Explanation

Autor/inn/en	Ainsworth, Shaaron; Burcham, Sarah
Titel	The Impact of Text Coherence on Learning by Self-Explanation
Quelle	In: Learning and Instruction, 17 (2007) 3, S.286-303 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0959-4752
DOI	10.1016/j.learninstruc.2007.02.004
Schlagwörter	Independent Reading; Reader Text Relationship; Reading Comprehension; Models; Rhetoric; Prior Learning; College Students + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Freies Lesen; Leseverstehen; Analogiemodell; Rhetorik; Vorkenntnisse; Collegestudent
Abstract	Previous research has shown that encouraging learners to explain material to themselves as they study can increase their understanding. Furthermore, different types of material (e.g. text or diagrams) influence learners' self-explanation behaviour. This study explores whether the coherence of text impacts upon the self-explanation effect. Forty-eight low-knowledge learners (university students) learnt about the circulatory system with text that was designed to be either maximally or minimally coherent. Half of these learners also received self-explanation training. Results showed that learners given maximally coherent text learnt more, as did learners who self-explained. However, this was not because coherent text increased self-explaining. Instead minimally coherent text significantly increased the number of self-explanations that learners made. It is suggested that self-explaining in the minimal text condition served to compensate for weaknesses and gaps in the text, whereas self-explaining in the maximal text condition may have led learners to detect flaws in their mental models and repair them. Consequently, rather than providing a minimally coherent text which compels low knowledge learners to self-explain to overcome its deficits, we should instead encourage learners to self-explain from well structured and explicit text. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10