Ruffin Makai A, Tudor Ryann N, Beier Margaret E
Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Sep 2;14(9):764. doi: 10.3390/bs14090764.
Elaboration is a generative learning strategy wherein learners link prior knowledge and experiences with to-be-remembered information. It is positively related to an array of learning outcomes. However, most students do not independently use generative learning strategies. We explored whether prompting elaboration learning strategies when reading an academic passage influenced knowledge test performance. Participants were randomly assigned to two conditions: receiving a prompt (i.e., experimental; = 94) and no prompt (i.e., control; = 112). The results revealed that participants who received the elaboration prompt ( = 13.88, = 2.20) did not outperform learners who did not receive the prompt ( = 13.67, = 2.43) on the knowledge test. However, we did find a positive relationship between the extent of elaboration strategy use and knowledge test performance across conditions ( = 0.17, < 0.05). Twelve themes emerged from an exploratory thematic analysis, wherein participants were asked about the learning strategies they used when reading the passage. Students used a variety of learning strategies unprompted, although 42.15% reported not using any additional learning strategies outside of the prompt or using low-utility learning strategies (e.g., relying on memory, skimming). Further exploratory analyses found that the quantity and diversity of learning strategies used individually influenced knowledge test performance. ANCOVA results revealed, however, that when controlling for quantity, the diversity of learning strategies used did not significantly influence knowledge test performance. Our findings contribute to prior literature by (1) demonstrating a relationship between elaboration strategy use and test performance, (2) highlighting learning strategies students use to retain information, and (3) exploring additional factors regarding learning strategy use that influence performance.
精加工是一种生成性学习策略，学习者将先前的知识和经验与要记忆的信息联系起来。它与一系列学习成果呈正相关。然而，大多数学生不会独立使用生成性学习策略。我们探讨了在阅读学术文章时提示精加工学习策略是否会影响知识测试成绩。参与者被随机分配到两种条件下：接受提示（即实验组；n = 94）和不接受提示（即对照组；n = 112）。结果显示，接受精加工提示的参与者（M = 13.88，SD = 2.20）在知识测试中的表现并不优于未接受提示的学习者（M = 13.67，SD = 2.43）。然而，我们确实发现跨条件下精加工策略的使用程度与知识测试成绩之间存在正相关（r = 0.17，p < 0.05）。一项探索性主题分析得出了12个主题，其中参与者被问及阅读文章时使用的学习策略。学生们在没有提示的情况下使用了各种学习策略，尽管42.15%的学生报告说在提示之外没有使用任何其他学习策略或使用了低效的学习策略（例如，依靠记忆、略读）。进一步的探索性分析发现，个体使用的学习策略的数量和多样性会影响知识测试成绩。然而，协方差分析结果显示，在控制数量时，使用的学习策略的多样性并没有显著影响知识测试成绩。我们的研究结果通过以下几点为先前的文献做出了贡献：（1）证明了精加工策略的使用与测试成绩之间的关系；（2）突出了学生用于保留信息的学习策略；（3）探索了影响成绩的学习策略使用的其他因素。
