Determining the effectiveness of prompts for self-regulated learning in problem-solving scenarios

Abstract

Cognitive scientists have studied internal cognitive structures, processes, and systems for decades in order to understand how they function in human learning. In order to solve challenging tasks in problem situations, learners not only have to perform cognitive activities, e.g., activating existing cognitive structures or organizing new information, they also have to set specific goals, plan their activities, monitor their performance during the problem-solving process, and evaluate the efficiency of their actions. This paper reports an experimental study with 98 participants where effective instructional interventions for self-regulated learning within problem-solving processes are investigated. Furthermore, an automated assessment and analysis methodology for determining the quality of learning outcomes is introduced. The results indicate that generic prompts are an important aid for developing cognitive structures while solving problems.