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Updated: Dec 4, 2025

Problem-Solving Before Instruction PS-I: A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
Published on: September 11, 2021
Improving conceptual learning via pretests
Faria Sana1, Veronica X Yan2, Courtney M Clark3
1Center for Social Sciences, Athabasca University.
Abstract:
Although examples can be structured to emphasize diagnostic features of concepts, novice learners tend to focus on irrelevant surface features and struggle to encode deeper structures. Experiment 1 examined whether pretesting-answering questions about content before it is studied-could enhance learners' noticing of diagnostic features, making them easier to process during subsequent study. Participants studied statistical concepts with examples that emphasized surface details or deep structure, and then classified new examples of these concepts. Studying examples that emphasized deep structure increased classification performance compared to examples that emphasized surface details. Moreover, taking pretests prior to studying the examples increased classification performance and eliminated differential benefits of studying structure versus surface examples. Experiment 2 examined whether pretesting serves a role beyond directing attention. After studying different statistical concepts with only surface-emphasizing examples, classification performance was better when participants actually took pretests compared to being given the correct responses. It is the generative aspect of pretesting, beyond attention directing, that improves conceptual learning among novice learners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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