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Explanation feedback is better than correct answer feedback for promoting transfer of learning

Publication ,  Journal Article
Butler, AC; Godbole, N; Marsh, EJ
Published in: Journal of Educational Psychology
2012

Among the many factors that influence the efficacy of feedback on learning, the information contained in the feedback message is arguably the most important. Surprisingly, prior research has produced little evidence to suggest that there is a benefit to increasing the complexity of the feedback message beyond providing the correct answer. However, the final test in most of these studies consisted of a repetition of the same questions from the initial test. The present research investigated whether feedback that provides an explanation of the correct answer promotes superior transfer of learning to new questions. In two experiments, participants studied prose passages and then took an initial short answer test on concepts from the text. After each question, they received correct answer feedback, explanation feedback, or no feedback. Two days later, participants returned for a final test that consisted of both repeated questions and new transfer questions. The results showed that correct answer feedback and explanation feedback led to equivalent performance on the repeated questions, but explanation feedback produced superior performance on the new transfer questions.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of Educational Psychology

Publication Date

2012

Related Subject Headings

  • Education
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 3904 Specialist studies in education
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1303 Specialist Studies in Education
 

Citation

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Butler, A. C., Godbole, N., & Marsh, E. J. (2012). Explanation feedback is better than correct answer feedback for promoting transfer of learning. Journal of Educational Psychology.
Butler, A. C., N. Godbole, and E. J. Marsh. “Explanation feedback is better than correct answer feedback for promoting transfer of learning.” Journal of Educational Psychology, 2012.
Butler AC, Godbole N, Marsh EJ. Explanation feedback is better than correct answer feedback for promoting transfer of learning. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2012;
Butler, A. C., et al. “Explanation feedback is better than correct answer feedback for promoting transfer of learning.” Journal of Educational Psychology, 2012.
Butler AC, Godbole N, Marsh EJ. Explanation feedback is better than correct answer feedback for promoting transfer of learning. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2012;

Published In

Journal of Educational Psychology

Publication Date

2012

Related Subject Headings

  • Education
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 3904 Specialist studies in education
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1303 Specialist Studies in Education