Title: Erroneous examples: effects on learning fractions in a web-based setting

Authors: Dimitra Tsovaltzi; Bruce M. McLaren; Erica Melis; Ann-Kristin Meyer

Addresses: Department of Educational Technology, Saalrland University, Building C5.4, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany ' Center for e-Learning Technology (CeLTech), Saalrland University, Building C5.4, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany ' Deceased; formerly of: German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence ' DFKI GmbH, German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Stuhlsatzenhausweg 3 (Building D3 2), D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany

Abstract: Learning from errors can be a key 21st century competence, especially for informal learning where such metacognitive skills are a prerequisite. We investigate whether, how and when web-based interactive erroneous examples promote such competence, and increase understanding of fractions and learning outcomes. Erroneous examples present students with common errors or misconceptions. Three studies were conducted with students of different grade levels. We compared the cognitive, metacognitive, conceptual, and transfer learning outcomes of three conditions: a control condition (problem solving), a condition that learned with erroneous examples without help, and a condition that learned with erroneous examples with error detection and correction support. Our results indicate significant metacognitive learning gains of erroneous examples with help for 6th-graders. They also show cognitive and conceptual learning gains for 9th and 10th-graders when additional help is provided. No effects were found for 7th-graders. We discuss the implications of our findings for instructional design.

Keywords: erroneous examples; common errors; mathematical fractions; misconceptions; adaptive learning; conceptual learning; metacognition; learner support; web-based settings; informal learning; metacognitive skills; mathematics; interactive examples; competences; increased understanding; learning outcomes; cognitive learning; transfer learning; control conditions; problem solving; error detection; correction support; additional help; instructional design; Germany; secondary education; secondary school students; internet; world wide web; technology enhanced learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2012.051583

International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2012 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.191 - 230

Accepted: 01 Nov 2012
Published online: 31 Dec 2014 *

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