Distributing vs. Blocking Learning Questions in a Web-Based Learning Environment

Abstract

Effective studying in web-based learning environments (web-LEs) requires cognitive engagement and demands learners to regulate their learning activities. One way to support learners in web-LEs is to provide interactive learning questions within the learning environment. Even though research on learning questions has a long tradition, there are many open questions on how to design and implement the questions in order to help students to master the demands of web-based learning. This article presents findings from an experiment which deals with the different ways of implementing sets of learning questions in web-LEs. The study investigates whether different distributions of learning questions have an effect on learning activities and achievement. Participants worked on 16 learning questions either distributed within the learning environment in a fine-grained way (1 learning question after each of the 16 subchapters), in a medium-grained way (4 learning questions after every 4 subchapters), or presented blocked (8 learning questions after every 8 subchapters). Blocked presentation of learning questions resulted in less 397 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/EC.51.4.b © 2015, The Author(s) j ec.sagepub.comachievement compared to medium-grained and fine-grained distribution of the same learning questions. Learning process data indicates different learning activities in the 3 groups. Participants of the medium-grained group reported more monitoring of their learning process. The results are discussed concerning possible implications for instructional design and future research in the field of web-LEs.

Delaying elaborated feedback within computer‐based learning environments: The role of summative and question‐based feedback

“…It is possible that, in cases where learning is task‐dependent (e.g., reading a text to answer questions), corrective and response‐verification forms of feedback might not suffice. In this light, the literature in feedback suggests that providing students with elaborative feedback (EF) containing explanations about the students' responses exerts a more beneficial impact on learning, especially when students are expected to deploy higher‐order learning processes (e.g., activating relevant prior knowledge or making inferences) beyond simple cued‐recalling (Kapp, Proske, Narciss, & Körndle, 2015; Van der Kleij, Feskens, & Eggen, 2015). The same is true about some studies showing that computer‐based EF aimed at facilitating inferences and locating question‐relevant information easies text comprehension and learning outcomes (Llorens, Vidal‐Abarca, & Cerdán, 2016; Máñez, Vidal‐Abarca, Martínez & Kendeou, 2017; Vidal‐Abarca, Martínez, Gil, García, & Máñez, 2018).…”

“…Providing immediate feedback allows students to correct mistakes, learn the correct answers (Candel et al, 2020) and establish a clear organizational structure of the learning content (Van der Kleij, Eggen, Timmers, & Veldkamp, 2012). However, delayed feedback creates a new opportunity to better comprehend and elaborate on the learning material by strengthening students' mental representation (Butler, Godbole, & Marsh, 2013; Kapp et al, 2015).…”

“…Since summative delayed EF may help students establish connections among relevant pieces of information and not every student is able to deploy such complex inferential processes, it is of importance to examine its potential effects on learning as a function of individual characteristics of students, such as PK (Kapp et al, 2015). Previous research shows that students with high prior knowledge engage in a more relational and constructive approach towards the study material when answering learning questions (Cerdán et al, 2009; McNamara & Kintsch, 1996).…”

Effects of timing of formative feedback in computer‐assisted learning environments

“…In spite of the general benefits reported by formative feedback (e. g., for an example see the reviews by Shute, 2008;van der Kleij, Feskens, & Eggen, 2015), some studies in the field of text-based question answering research have found that providing formative feedback does not benefit learning over letting students search the text on question-answering (Moos, 2011). Few studies have examined question-answering processes such as the time students invested in text reading, responding to questions or attending to the feedback, to try to understand the effectiveness of formative feedback (Butler, Karpicke, & Roediger, 2008;Kapp et al, 2015). Further, studies examining how feedback affects the students' certitude of having responded right to the questions are scarce.…”

Achievement Goal Orientations and Self-Reported Study Strategies as Predictors of Online Studying Activities

“…For students to be successful in learning online, they need to exhibit a reasonable degree of self-regulation and motivation to attain their learning goals (Azevedo & Cromley, 2004; Kapp, Proske, Narciss, & Körndle, 2015). Self-regulated learning (SRL) is the “active, constructive process whereby learners set goals for their learning and then attempt to monitor, regulate, and control their cognition, motivation, and behavior, guided and constrained by their goals and the contextual features in the environment” (Pintrich, 2000, p. 453).…”