Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
07:59
Using Practice Testing, Public Speaking, and Source Monitoring to Examine the Influences of Learning Strategies and Stress on Episodic Memory
Published on: June 14, 2019
Elaboration during problem-based group discussion: effects on recall for high and low ability students
Floris M Van Blankenstein1, Diana H J M Dolmans, Cees P M Van der Vleuten
1Department of Educational Research and Development, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands, f.vanblankenstein@gmail.com.
Advances in Health Sciences Education : Theory and Practice
|October 12, 2012
Summary
Elaborative questions in problem-based learning discussions did not improve student recall of new information. Student ability influenced recall, but not the effectiveness of elaborative questioning techniques.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Learning Sciences
Background:
- Elaboration is frequently studied, but its benefits in problem-based learning (PBL) are not well-established.
- Effective learning strategies in PBL require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of elaboration during problem-based discussions on subsequent recall.
- To determine if elaborative questioning by a tutor impacts learning outcomes in a PBL context.
Main Methods:
- A controlled experiment involved 67 students observing a video-recorded PBL discussion.
- Participants were exposed to either elaborative or superficial questions from a tutor.
- Recall of information from a subsequent text was measured for all participants.
Main Results:
- Elaborative questions showed no significant effect on the recall of idea units from the text (p = .39).
- Higher-ability students demonstrated better recall than lower-ability students (p = .04).
- No significant interaction was found between student ability and the type of questioning used (p = .22).
Conclusions:
- Elaboration during PBL discussions, as prompted by tutor questions, does not appear to enhance recall of new information.
- Student's prior ability is a significant factor in recall, independent of the questioning strategy employed.
- Further research is needed to explore factors influencing effective elaboration in problem-based learning.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:07Elaborative Rehearsals
Elaborative rehearsal is a crucial cognitive strategy that strengthens information encoding in long-term memory by making meaningful connections between new data and pre-existing knowledge. This approach contrasts with maintenance rehearsal, which involves simple repetition without delving into the significance of the information. While maintenance rehearsal might temporarily keep information active in short-term memory, it is less effective for long-term retention.
The effectiveness of...
The effectiveness of...
01:37Social Loafing
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated, individuals become less...
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
01:30Impact of Schemas
Schemas are cognitive structures that provide a framework for interpreting and organizing social information. They help individuals navigate complex environments by offering expectations about people, events, and behaviors. Schemas influence attention, encoding, and retrieval processes, thereby shaping the entire trajectory of information processing in social contexts.Attention and Cognitive LoadDuring initial attention, schemas function as filters that prioritize schema-consistent information,...
01:29Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Attribution theory plays a crucial role in social psychology, helping to explain how individuals interpret the causes of behavior. One prominent model within this field is Harold Kelley's covariation theory, which provides a systematic approach to determining whether internal traits or external circumstances drive a person's actions. The model posits that individuals rely on three key types of information—consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness—to make these judgments.Consensus: Comparing...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...