PERC 2015 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Evidence of Short Term Learning from “Drag and Drop” Deliberate Practice Activities |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Online digital education allows for the implementation of novel problem types and pedagogies. We evaluate the effectiveness of "deliberate practice activities" (DPA) using standard experiment/control protocol in the edX.org MOOC platform. DPA (Erricson) focused on training a single skill at a time and providing detailed instant feedback. We implemented them using both standard multiple choice format and a "Drag and Drop" format designed to reduce extraneous cognitive load by following multimedia design principles that stemmed from grounded cognition. We observed that for students who got the first question(s) wrong, the drag and drop format leads to significantly better learning on fundamental skills than multiple choice. Further analysis confirmed that the selected student population weren't biased. We also compared DPA with practice on traditional problems, but did not find evidence that DPA leads to superior problem solving ability. We will discuss potential reasons for this observation. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Zhongzhou Chen MIT physics |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Christopher Chudzicki, MIT physics Qian Zhou Qinghua University, Beijing, China Dave Pritchard, MIT physics |
