Elaborated Corrective Feedback and the Acquisition of Reasoning Skills: A Study of Computer-Assisted Instruction

Abstract

The study compared basic and elaborated corrections within the context of otherwise identical computer-assisted instruction (CAI) programs that taught reasoning skills. Twelve learning disabled and 16 remedial high school students were randomly assigned to either the basic-corrections or elaborated-corrections treatment. Criterion-referenced test scores were significantly higher for the elaborated-corrections treatment on both the post and maintenance tests and on the transfer test. Time to complete the program did not differ significantly for the two groups.

Feedback Types in Programmed Instruction: A Systematic Review

“…however, Rosa and leow (2004) found elaboration feedback that included auC to be no better than KR without auC. similarly, though two studies reported no difference between elaboration feedback and KCR (dempsey, litchfield, & driscoll, 1993; merrill, 1987), the other five reviewed studies making the comparison showed elaboration feedback to be more effective (Collins, Carnine, & Gersten, 1987;Gilman, 1969;Grant et al, 1982;Kim & Phillips, 1991;Pridemore & Klein, 1995). Elaboration feedback has also been shown to be more effective than KR with auC in two studies (Terrell, 1990;Waldrop et al, 1986); though dempsey et al (1993) showed no difference between elaboration feedback and KCR with auC (or KCR without auC, as already mentioned).…”

“…Review feedback has also been arranged by re-presenting incorrectly answered frames at the end of the instruction. several studies (albertson, 1986;Collins et al, 1987;Crosbie & Kelly, 1994, Exp. i & ii;Gilman, 1969;nagata, 1993) included review feedback in all groups, thus they are not included in this section because no comparison can be made.…”

“…indeed, Pridemore and Klein (1991) found that elaboration feedback did result in higher feedback study times than KR, but total lesson times were not reported. however, four studies reported no difference in total lesson time (Collins et al, 1987 [KCR]; Grant et al, 1982 [KCR and no feedback]; Roberts & Park, 1984 [KR];salas & dickinson, 1990 [KR]) and only one found elaboration feedback (along with two forms of review feedback) to require more total lesson time than KCR, with no difference in effectiveness (dempsey et al, 1993).…”

Variables Related to the Effective Instruction Of Difficult-to-Teach Children

“…Fisher et al (1980) found that students who had feedback contacts with teachers during seatwork generally had 10% higher engagement rates than students who did not receive feedback. Collins, Carnine, and Gersten ( 1987) reported that both basic and elaborative feedback significantly increased students' performance on reasoning skill tasks. They also compared differential effects of two types of feedback and found that both types of feedback successfully increased student performance, but that the elaborated feedback produced the greatest skill acquisition gains.…”

Identification of Effective Teaching Behaviors

“…Low 'ability or low achieving learners may benefit from more explanation in feedback (Collins, Carnine, & Gersten, 1987); however, they also need to be taught how to utilize feedback information effectively. High ability learners seem to use knowledge of results feedback more effectively than low ability learners (Hansen, 1974).…”