Prompting Strategy Use and Beyond: Examining the Relationships between Elaboration, Quantity, and Diversity of Learning Strategies on Performance

Abstract

Elaboration is a generative learning strategy wherein learners link prior knowledge and experiences with to-be-remembered information. It is positively related to an array of learning outcomes. However, most students do not independently use generative learning strategies. We explored whether prompting elaboration learning strategies when reading an academic passage influenced knowledge test performance. Participants were randomly assigned to two conditions: receiving a prompt (i.e., experimental; n = 94) and no prompt (i.e., control; n = 112). The results revealed that participants who received the elaboration prompt (M = 13.88, SD = 2.20) did not outperform learners who did not receive the prompt (M = 13.67, SD = 2.43) on the knowledge test. However, we did find a positive relationship between the extent of elaboration strategy use and knowledge test performance across conditions (r = 0.17, p < 0.05). Twelve themes emerged from an exploratory thematic analysis, wherein participants were asked about the learning strategies they used when reading the passage. Students used a variety of learning strategies unprompted, although 42.15% reported not using any additional learning strategies outside of the prompt or using low-utility learning strategies (e.g., relying on memory, skimming). Further exploratory analyses found that the quantity and diversity of learning strategies used individually influenced knowledge test performance. ANCOVA results revealed, however, that when controlling for quantity, the diversity of learning strategies used did not significantly influence knowledge test performance. Our findings contribute to prior literature by (1) demonstrating a relationship between elaboration strategy use and test performance, (2) highlighting learning strategies students use to retain information, and (3) exploring additional factors regarding learning strategy use that influence performance.

Keywords

• elaboration
• recall performance
• generative learning strategies