Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials
According to the concept of desirable difficulties, introducing difficulties in learning may sacrifice short-term performance in order to benefit long-term retention of learning. We describe three types of desirable difficulty effects: testing, generation, and varied conditions of practice. The empi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01483/full |
| _version_ | 1818511725290323968 |
|---|---|
| author | Ouhao Chen Juan C. Castro-Alonso Fred Paas Fred Paas John Sweller |
| author_facet | Ouhao Chen Juan C. Castro-Alonso Fred Paas Fred Paas John Sweller |
| author_sort | Ouhao Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | According to the concept of desirable difficulties, introducing difficulties in learning may sacrifice short-term performance in order to benefit long-term retention of learning. We describe three types of desirable difficulty effects: testing, generation, and varied conditions of practice. The empirical literature indicates that desirable difficulty effects are not always obtained and we suggest that cognitive load theory may be used to explain many of these contradictory results. Many failures to obtain desirable difficulty effects may occur under conditions where working memory is already stressed due to the use of high element interactivity information. Under such conditions, the introduction of additional difficulties may be undesirable rather than desirable. Empirical evidence from diverse experiments is used to support this hypothesis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:36:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e219ca0710d45a59c0c11191adeeff7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:36:55Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e219ca0710d45a59c0c11191adeeff72022-12-22T01:29:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-08-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.01483375102Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity MaterialsOuhao Chen0Juan C. Castro-Alonso1Fred Paas2Fred Paas3John Sweller4National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, SingaporeCenter for Advanced Research in Education (CIAE), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, ChileDepartment of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, NetherlandsSchool of Education/Early Start, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Education, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaAccording to the concept of desirable difficulties, introducing difficulties in learning may sacrifice short-term performance in order to benefit long-term retention of learning. We describe three types of desirable difficulty effects: testing, generation, and varied conditions of practice. The empirical literature indicates that desirable difficulty effects are not always obtained and we suggest that cognitive load theory may be used to explain many of these contradictory results. Many failures to obtain desirable difficulty effects may occur under conditions where working memory is already stressed due to the use of high element interactivity information. Under such conditions, the introduction of additional difficulties may be undesirable rather than desirable. Empirical evidence from diverse experiments is used to support this hypothesis.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01483/fullcognitive load theoryhuman cognitive architecturedesirable difficultieselement interactivitytesting and generation effects |
| spellingShingle | Ouhao Chen Juan C. Castro-Alonso Fred Paas Fred Paas John Sweller Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials Frontiers in Psychology cognitive load theory human cognitive architecture desirable difficulties element interactivity testing and generation effects |
| title | Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials |
| title_full | Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials |
| title_fullStr | Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials |
| title_short | Undesirable Difficulty Effects in the Learning of High-Element Interactivity Materials |
| title_sort | undesirable difficulty effects in the learning of high element interactivity materials |
| topic | cognitive load theory human cognitive architecture desirable difficulties element interactivity testing and generation effects |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01483/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ouhaochen undesirabledifficultyeffectsinthelearningofhighelementinteractivitymaterials AT juanccastroalonso undesirabledifficultyeffectsinthelearningofhighelementinteractivitymaterials AT fredpaas undesirabledifficultyeffectsinthelearningofhighelementinteractivitymaterials AT fredpaas undesirabledifficultyeffectsinthelearningofhighelementinteractivitymaterials AT johnsweller undesirabledifficultyeffectsinthelearningofhighelementinteractivitymaterials |