Abstract:
This experimental study examined the effects of
cooperative learning and a question-answering strategy
called elaborative interrogation ("Why is this fact true?")
on the learning of factual information about familiar
animals. Retention gains were compared across four study
conditions: elaborative-interrogation-plus-cooperative
learning, cooperative-learning, elaborative-interrogation,
and reading-control. Sixth-grade students (n=68) were
randomly assigned to the four conditions. All participants
were given initial training and practice in cooperative
learning procedures via three 45-minute sessions. After
studying 36 facts about six animals, students' retention
gains were measured via immediate free recall, immediate
matched association, 30-day, and GO-day matched association
tests. A priori comparisons were made to analyze the data.
For immediate free recall and immediate matched association,
significant differences were found between students in the
three experimental conditions versus those in the control
condition. Elaborative-interrogation and elaborativeinterrogation-
plus-cooperative-learning also promoted longterm
retention (measured via 30-day matched association) of
the material relative to repetitive reading with
elaborative-interrogation promoting the most durable gains (measured via GO-day matched association). The relationship
between the types of elaborative responses and probability
of subsequent retention was also examined. Even when
students were unable to provide adequate answers to the why
questions, learning was facilitated more so than repetitive
reading. In general, generation of adequate elaborations
was associated with greater probability of recall than was
provision of inadequate answers. The findings of the study
demonstrate that cooperative learning and the use of
elaborative interrogation, both individually and
collaboratively, are effective classroom procedures for
facilitating children's learning of new information.
