Getting the point: Tracing worked examples enhances learning

Hu, Fang-Tzu; Ginns, Paul; Bobis, Janette

doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2014.10.002

Cited by 76 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 361 publications

(654 reference statements)

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“…The findings showed no significant difference in the average cognitive load rating for the worked examples, so this hypothesis (H4) was also not confirmed. This study provides further evidence that builds on current research (Macken and Ginns 2014;Hu et al 2015) about the effectiveness of biologically primary knowledge, e.g., tracing, to support the understanding of biologically secondary knowledge, e.g., mathematical knowledge, as the findings showed that tracing increased test performance on transfer questions. There was, however, no comparable pattern of results for similar questions or response time.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

“…The scale consisted of 1, very easy, to 5, very difficult. This five-scale rating is a modified version of the nine-scale rating developed by Paas (1992) and is similar to that used in Hu et al (2015). To ensure the participants understood the cognitive load rating scale, the researcher asked the participant to try and solve two problems; one perceived easy and one perceived difficult (e.g., 2+7; 3×4×5) and identify the rating scale score that best reflected their perceived ease or difficulty in solving each problem.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The tracing condition outperformed the non-tracing condition on acquisition phase problems and as well as errors during the test phase; however, ceiling effects precluded analysis of test performance. In a follow-up experiment, using more difficult test questions with a younger sample of participants, Hu et al (2015) found that the tracing group solved more test questions than the non-tracing group, solved them more quickly, made fewer errors, and reported lower levels of test difficulty. Test difficulty ratings were interpreted as an index of schema quality constructed during the acquisition phase.…”

Section: Pointing and Tracing To Support Learning Of Biologically Secmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Hypothesized gradients of performance (no tracing>tracing in the air>tracing on the paper) were also found for acquisition phase errors, and time to solution, error rate, and test question difficulty ratings for advanced questions in the test phase. Hu et al (2015) interpreted these results as indicating that the more working memory modalities (visual, tactile and kinesthetic) activated during learning, the better the problem-solving schemas constructed, especially since the strongest results were found on advanced test questions requiring transfer from the worked examples presented (cf. Cooper and Sweller 1987).…”

Section: Pointing and Tracing To Support Learning Of Biologically Secmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, the use of personal tablets as the mode of instruction was both for theoretical and practical purposes. Theoretically, this study builds on the work of Hu et al (2014Hu et al ( , 2015 to examine whether the benefits of tracing on learning can generalize to other interfaces such as a digital tablet. The practical significance of this study is that tablets are increasingly being adopted in classrooms (Johnson et al 2014), yet there is little research on how they may optimally be used for learning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Giving Learning a Helping Hand: Finger Tracing of Temperature Graphs on an iPad

et al. 2015

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Gesturally controlled information and communication technologies, such as tablet devices, are becoming increasingly popular tools for teaching and learning. Based on the theoretical frameworks of cognitive load and embodied cognition, this study investigated the impact of explicit instructions to trace out elements of tablet-based worked examples on mathematical problem-solving. Participants were 61 primary school children (8-11 years), who studied worked examples on an iPad either by tracing temperature graphs with their index finger or without such tracing. Results confirmed the main hypothesis that finger tracing as a form of biologically primary knowledge would support the construction of biologically secondary knowledge needed to understand temperature graphs. Children in the tracing condition achieved higher performance on transfer test questions. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pointing and Tracing To Support Learning Of Biologically Secmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Pointing and Tracing To Support Learning Of Biologically Secmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Giving Learning a Helping Hand: Finger Tracing of Temperature Graphs on an iPad

et al. 2015

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Learning By Tracing Worked Examples

Ginns

Byrne

et al. 2015

Applied Cognitive Psychology

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Cognitive load theorists have only recently begun to test the role of the body in learning. Tracing the index finger over the surface of instructions while reading, an embodied pedagogy based on Montessori's sandpaper letters, may hold substantial promise for learning by reducing cognitive load. Two experiments tested whether students who traced their index fingers against paper-based worked example instructions in triangle geometry (Experiment 1; N = 52) and order of operations (Experiment 2; N = 54) would perform better on a subsequent test than students who only studied the materials visually. Students in the tracing condition outperformed the non-tracing condition on transfer problems in both Experiment 1 (d = .78) and Experiment 1 (d = .50), but hypotheses regarding self-reports of cognitive load during testing were not supported. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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Tracing enhances problem‐solving transfer, but without effects on intrinsic or extraneous cognitive load

Ginns

Bobis

2020

Applied Cognitive Psychology

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People can make pointing gestures and tracing actions with the index finger with little or no conscious effort. From the perspective of cognitive load theory, such "biologically primary" gestures and actions might help people learn "biologically secondary" concepts and skills requiring extended cognitive effort, such as reading, science, or mathematics. Studies on tracing or tracing and pointing have yielded mixed findings regarding hypothesized effects on intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. The present study investigated whether computer-based instructions to trace elements of worked examples on angle relationships would affect school students' (N = 106) self-reports of intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load, as well as problemsolving transfer test performance. The tracing effect on transfer posttests seen in prior studies was replicated, but cognitive load hypotheses were not supported.

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Getting the point: Tracing worked examples enhances learning

Cited by 76 publications

References 361 publications

Giving Learning a Helping Hand: Finger Tracing of Temperature Graphs on an iPad

Giving Learning a Helping Hand: Finger Tracing of Temperature Graphs on an iPad

Learning By Tracing Worked Examples

Tracing enhances problem‐solving transfer, but without effects on intrinsic or extraneous cognitive load

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