The DOI matches its Crossref record; 23 of the 23 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Structuring the Transition From Example Study to Problem Solving in Cognitive Skill Acquisition: A Cognitive Load Perspective
Abstract
Cognitive load research has shown that learning from worked-out examples, in comparison to problem solving, is very effective during the initial stages of cognitive skill acquisition. In later stages, however, solving problems is superior. In this contribution, theoretical analyses of different types of cognitive load and their changes over the stages of skill acquisition are presented. Two basic arguments are put forth: (a) Intrinsic cognitive load gradually decreases so that a gradual increase of problem-solving demands is possible without inducing cognitive overload. (b) In contrast to the earlier stages, different learner activities during the later stages constitute either germane or extraneous load, because different instructional goals are to be achieved. Based on these analyses, we propose a fading procedure in which problem-solving elements are successively integrated into example study until the learners are expected to solve problems on their own. Empirical evidence supporting this fading procedure is provided, and future research is proposed that focuses on how to ensure that the fading procedure is adaptive to the learners' prior knowledge levels.
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“Cognitive load effects that are relevant in the beginning of a longer educational program (e.g. guided problem-solving, worked examples) are no longer relevant in later stages of the program, after the learners acquired sufficient expertise.”
From Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design: 20 Years Later (2019) · cites this paper as Renkl and Atkinson (2003)
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Anderson, J. R. (2013) · doi:10.4324/9781315799438 · Cited by 6,761
Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design
Sweller, J., van Merrienboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. G. W. C. (1998) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1023/a:1022193728205 · Cited by 6,023
Cognitive Tutors: Lessons Learned
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Kalyuga, S., Ayres, P., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (2003) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3801_4 · Cited by 1,927
Self‐Explanations: How Students Study and Use Examples in Learning to Solve Problems
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The Use of Worked Examples as a Substitute for Problem Solving in Learning Algebra
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Learning from Examples: Instructional Principles from the Worked Examples Research
Atkinson, R. K., Derry, S. J., Renkl, A., & Wortham, D. W. (2000) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/00346543070002181 · Cited by 1,109
Self-citationTaking the Load Off a Learner's Mind: Instructional Design for Complex Learning
van Merrienboer, J. J. G., Kirschner, P. A., & Kester, L. (2003) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3801_2 · Cited by 857
Learning from worked-out examples: A study on individual differences
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Self-citationWhen problem solving is superior to studying worked examples.
Kalyuga, S., Chandler, P., Tuovinen, J., & Sweller, J. (2001) · Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0663.93.3.579 · Cited by 548 · cited 1×
“In a recent study, Kalyuga, Chandler, Tuovinen, and Sweller (2001) analyzed mechanical trade apprentices’ learning about relay circuits and their programming in different stages of skill ac quisition.”
BackgroundVanLehn, K. A. (1996) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.47.1.513 · Cited by 536
Learning from Worked-Out Examples: The Effects of Example Variability and Elicited Self-Explanations
Renkl, A., Stark, R., Gruber, H., & Mandl, H. (1998) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1006/ceps.1997.0959 · Cited by 374
Self-citationLearning Mathematics From Examples and by Doing
Zhu, X., & Simon, H. A. (1987) · Cognition and Instruction · doi:10.1207/s1532690xci0403_1 · Cited by 357
From Example Study to Problem Solving: Smooth Transitions Help Learning
Renkl, A., Atkinson, R. K., Maier, U. H., & Staley, R. (2002) · The Journal of Experimental Education · doi:10.1080/00220970209599510 · Cited by 312
Self-citationLearning Strategies and Transfer in the Domain of Programming
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Interrelationship of Knowledge, Interest, and Recall: Assessing a Model of Domain Learning
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Do Written Instructions Need Examples?
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Cooper, G., Tindall-Ford, S., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (2001) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied · doi:10.1037/1076-898x.7.1.68 · Cited by 191
Gerjets, P., & Scheiter, K. (2003) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3801_5 · Cited by 176
Mwangi, W., & Sweller, J. (1998) · Cognition and Instruction · doi:10.1207/s1532690xci1602_2 · Cited by 156
Modeling Individual Differences in Students' Learning Strategies
Recker, M. M., & Pirolli, P. L. T. (1995) · Journal of the Learning Sciences · doi:10.1207/s15327809jls0401_1 · Cited by 110
Is self‐explanation while solving problems helpful? The case of analogical problem‐solving
Neuman, Y., & Schwarz, B. B. (1998) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.2044-8279.1998.tb01271.x · Cited by 64
(2000) · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · Cited by 50
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Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_446 · Cited by 6,105
Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design: 20 Years Later
Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5 · Cited by 2,337
Cognitive Load Theory and Complex Learning: Recent Developments and Future Directions
van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Sweller, J. (2005) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-005-3951-0 · Cited by 2,206
“Renkl and Atkinson (2003) reviewed recent studies that applied the completion strategy, which they call a fading guidance procedure, in the domains of physics (electricity) and statistics (probability).”
BackgroundElement Interactivity and Intrinsic, Extraneous, and Germane Cognitive Load
Sweller, J. (2010) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-010-9128-5 · Cited by 2,020
“The worked example/problem-solving version of the expertise reversal effect leads directly to the guidance fading effect ( Renkl and Atkinson 2003; Renkl et al. 2004).”
BackgroundKalyuga, S., Ayres, P., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (2003) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3801_4 · Cited by 1,927
Metadata
- Authors
- Renkl, A., & Atkinson, R. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Freiburg (DE)
- Arizona State University (US)
- ORCID
- Renkl, Alexander
- Venue
- Educational Psychologist
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2003-01-01
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 15-22
- ISSN
- 0046-1520 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-6985
- OpenAlex
- W2017974841
- Cited by
- 540
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 65 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 23.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Educational Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
- 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
- cognitive load, worked examples, problem solving, cognitive skill acquisition, intrinsic cognitive load, germane load, extraneous load, fading procedure, prior knowledge, cognitive overload
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