If Practice Makes Perfect, What Does Less Practice Make?
Abstract
This research examines the subject of practice and transfer effects using an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) teaching novel knowledge and skills (i.e., flight engineering). Previous research has shown that when more time is spent exercising new cognitive skills, performance is improved and the cognitive load is reduced (e.g., Ackerman, 1988; Anderson, 1987; Schneider and Shiffrin, 1977). Other research has demonstrated that when the number (or variety) of example problems is small, Teaming tends to be rapid, but transfer tends to be weak (e.g., Carlson and Yaure, 1990; Gick and Holyoak, 1987). The purpose of this paper was to test these ideas in a controlled setting using an ITS that was manipulated to yield two contrasting learning environments: extended (12 problems per problem set) and 'constrained' (3 problems per problem set). These environments differed only in the number of practice problems requiring solution in the various problem sets. Results showed that while subjects in the constrained environment completed the curriculum significantly faster than subjects in the extended version, there were no differences between conditions on any of the outcome measures. But when the data were examined across problem sets, latency and error-type differences between the two groups were found.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA251769
Entities
People
- Lisa A. Gawlick-grendell
- Valerie J. Shute
Organizations
- Armstrong Laboratory