Worked-out examples: instructional explanations support learning by self-explanations

Learning from worked-out examples is very effective for initial skill acquisition, at least when learners actively explain the solution steps in the examples to themselves. However, learning solely on the basis of self-explanations is connected with several restrictions, even when effective self-explaining is trained or elicited. Therefore, a coherent set of principles for integrating instructional explanations into learning via self-explanations was developed, implemented, and tested. An experiment with a control group (without instructional explanations; 20 student teachers) and an experimental group (with instructional explanations; n=28) was conducted. The results showed that the instructional explanations had a positive effect on learning, at least under certain conditions. In addition, deficits in the use of the instructional explanations were identified and possible ways to improve the effectiveness of the instructional explanations were proposed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.