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Cited by 278Visual and Cognitive Learning ProcessesInnovative Teaching and Learning MethodsIntelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 175 of the 176 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Why Instructional Explanations Often Do Not Work: A Framework for Understanding the Effectiveness of Instructional Explanations

Wittwer, Jörg, Renkl, Alexander·2008·Educational Psychologist
DOI 10.1080/00461520701756420
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Abstract

Although explanations are a common means of instruction, research shows that they often do not contribute to learning. To unravel the factors giving rise to the ineffectiveness of instructional explanations, we propose a framework that brings together empirical work on instructional explanations from a variety of research fields, including classroom instruction, tutoring, cooperative learning, cognitive skill acquisition, learning from texts, computer-supported learning, and multimedia learning. In our framework, we identify the distinctive characteristics of instructional explanations, present general guidelines for designing instructional explanations, and describe factors influencing both the generation and use of instructional explanations. It is argued that future research should uncover in more detail the interrelations between the different aspects of providing and using instructional explanations and their specific effects on learning.

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Research works printed but not linked: 15

  1. 10.3102/00028312031002313 · DOI
  2. 10.1207/s15516709cog1803_3 · DOI · Paper page
  3. du Boulay , B. and Luckin , R. 2001 . Modelling human teaching tactics and strategies for tutoring systems . International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. , 12 : 235 – 256 .
  4. Goldman , S. R. 2004 . “ Cognitive aspects of constructing meaning through and across multiple texts ” . In Uses of intertextuality in classroom and educational research , Edited by: Shuart-Ferris , N. and Bloome , D. M. 313 – 347 . Greenwich, CT : Information Age .
  5. Goldman , S. R. and Wiley , J. 2004 . “ Discourse analysis: Written text ” . In Literacy research methods , Edited by: Duke , N. K. and Mallette , M. 62 – 91 . New York : Guilford .
  6. 10.7551/mitpress/2930.003.0003 · DOI
  7. Lovett , M. C. . Learning by problem solving versus by examples: The benefits of generating and receiving information . Proceedings of the Fourteenth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society . pp. 956 – 961 . Hillsdale, NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates .
  8. 10.1016/s0364-0213(99)80020-2 · DOI
  9. 10.1207/s15516709cog2101_1 · DOI · Paper page
  10. Renkl , A. , Hilbert , T. , Schworm , S. and Reiss , K. 2007 . “ Cognitive skill acquisition from complex examples: A taxonomy of examples and tentative instructional guidelines ” . In Studies on the educational quality of schools , Edited by: Prenzel , M. 239 – 249 . Münster, , Germany : Waxmann .
  11. Schwonke , R. , Wittwer , J. , Aleven , V. , Salden , R. , Krieg , C. and Renkl , A. . Can tutored problem solving benefit from faded worked-out examples? . Proceedings of the 2nd European Cognitive Science Conference . Edited by: Vosniadou , S. , Kayser , D. and Protopapas , A. pp. 59 – 64 . Mahwah, NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates .
  12. Topping , K. J. 2000 . Tutoring , Genf, Switzerland : International Academy of Education .
  13. Vedder , P. 1985 . Cooperative learning. A study on processes and effects of cooperation between primary school children , Westerhaven Groningen, The Netherlands : Rijkuniversiteit Groningen .
  14. Wittwer , J. , Nückles , M. , Hübner , S. and Herbert , M. August 2005 . “ How tutors plan and students learn from adaptive explanations: A think-aloud study in online tutoring ” . In Adaptation in tutoring and collaborative learning Edited by: Wittwer , J. and Nückles , M. Chairs . August , Symposium conducted at the 11th biennial conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction, Nicosia, Cyprus
  15. Wittwer , J. , Nückles , M. and Renkl , A. 2006 . “ Improving human tutoring by improving tutor–generated explanations ” . In Avoiding simplicity, confronting complexity. Proceedings of the joint meeting of the SIGs Instructional Design and Learning and Instruction with Computers , Edited by: Clarebout , G. and Elen , J. 349 – 358 . Rotterdam, , The Netherlands : Sense Publishers .

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Metadata

Authors
Wittwer, J., & Renkl, A.
Affiliations
University of Freiburg (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Educational Psychologist
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2008-01-28
Volume
43
Issue
1
Pages
49-64
ISSN
  • 0046-1520 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-6985
DOI
10.1080/00461520701756420
OpenAlex
W2084299944
Cited by
277
References
176
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 14
FWCI
8.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Educational Psychologist (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Université Laval
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning
Keywords
instructional explanations, explanation design, learning from explanations, tutoring, cooperative learning, cognitive skill acquisition, learning from text, computer-supported learning, multimedia learning, classroom teaching

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