Fostering Germane Load Through Self-Explanation Prompting In Calculus Instruction

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of self-explanation prompting to students’ germane load while studying mathematics in the multivariable calculus course. This research employed a quasi-experimental method with matching-only posttest-only control group design. The subject of the research consists of 72 first-year mathematics education undergraduate students. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in students’ germane load between students who implemented worked-example with self-explanation prompting and students who implemented worked-example without self-explanation prompting. However, it was revealed that the students' germane load was categorized high in both classes. It indicates that the worked-example method could foster students' germane load. Nonetheless, these results cannot be evidence that self-explanation prompting is capable to foster students' germane load. However, there is an association between germane load and learning objectives. When students achieve the learning objectives, then its learning method is able to foster the germane load. To assess the learning objectives, the posttest was arranged. The results stated that students who implemented the worked-example method with self-explanation prompting had better test scores than students who implemented the worked-example method without self-explanation prompting. This result was sufficient to provide evidence that the use of worked-example with self-explanation prompting could foster students’ germane load students in the multivariable calculus course.

Keywords

• germane load
• worked-example
• self-explanation prompting