The Effects of Worked-Out Example and Metacognitive Scaffolding on Problem-Solving Programming
Abstract
This study explores the effects of worked-out examples and metacognitive scaffolding on novice learners’ knowledge performance, cognitive loads, and self-regulation skills in problem-solving programming. 126 undergraduate students in a computer programming fundamentals course were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) task performance with a traditional WOE (TW), 2) task performance with a faded WOE (FW), 3) task performance with traditional WOE and metacognitive scaffolding (TWM), and 4) task performance with a faded WOE and metacognitive scaffolding (FWM). Over the course of 3 weeks, participants in these four groups were asked to solve programming problems using Python with WOE and metacognitive scaffolding. The results demonstrate that the provision of metacognitive scaffolding with faded WOE (FWM) is the most effective for problem-solving programming and self-regulation skills. In addition, an interaction effect exists between the two treatments for the germane load in FWM. Therefore, results in this study provide empirical insights into ways to effectively apply WOE and metacognitive scaffolding to problem-solving processes for programming-based complex problem-solving, especially for novice learners.
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- Authors
- Shin, Y., Jung, J., Zumbach, J., & Yi, E.
- Affiliations
- Hanyang University (KR)
- Korean Educational Development Institute (KR)
- University of Salzburg (AT)
- Corresponding author
- Jung, Jaewon
- Venue
- Journal of Educational Computing Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2023-05-16
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1312-1331
- ISSN
- 0735-6331 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-4140
- OpenAlex
- W4376875422
- Semantic Scholar
- 5fa52e9545e6ea1e791ea7b59473206dc56487d9
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 4.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Educational Computing Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Teaching and Learning Programming
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
- Keywords
- worked examples, metacognitive scaffolding, cognitive load, self-regulation, germane load, novice learners, programming education, Python
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