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Elaboration during problem-based group discussion: Effects on recall for high and low ability students

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Abstract

Although elaboration has been investigated frequently, there is little evidence for the beneficial effect of elaboration in problem-based learning. A controlled experiment tested the effect of elaboration during problem-based discussion on recall. Sixty-seven students observed a video-recorded, problem-based discussion. In one experimental condition, a tutor in the video encouraged participants to elaborate by asking elaborative questions. In a second condition, the tutor asked superficial questions. After the discussion, all participants studied a text with relevant new information. Elaborative questions had no significant effect on recall of idea units from the text, p = .39, η2 = .01. High-ability students outperformed low-ability students, p = .04, η2 = .07, but this effect did not interact with the experimental treatment, p = .22, η2 = .02. Suggestions for further research are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Research and Development, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Floris M. Van Blankenstein, Diana H. J. M. Dolmans & Cees P. M. Van der Vleuten

  2. Erasmus University Rotterdam, Woudestein, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Henk G. Schmidt

Authors
  1. Floris M. Van Blankenstein
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  2. Diana H. J. M. Dolmans
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  3. Cees P. M. Van der Vleuten
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  4. Henk G. Schmidt
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Correspondence to Floris M. Van Blankenstein.

Appendix

Appendix

 

Problem

You are staying with your family in a vacation home in a hilly area. This morning, you and your smaller brother got up early and went into the hills on your bicycles. The day turned out to be hot and humid. In the afternoon, dark thunderclouds started appearing in the sky. Suddenly, you see a lightning bolt dashing towards the earth. A few seconds later, it is followed by a rattling thunderclap. Soon afterwards, it starts pouring out of the sky. When your brother tries to seek shelter under a group of trees, you immediately pull him away from underneath these trees, into the open field. There, you tell him to squat.

Sample of the questions asked by the tutor

Elaborative questions

Superficial questions

1. Do you know why a cumulonimbus cloud becomes so tall?

1. What are thunder clouds?

2. In a cloud, there are many currents of air. The cloud also contains water drops and hail stones. But what happens then? How can a electrical potential difference come about within a cloud?

2. Do you know what J. means? (J. rephrased the information from the first text that a cloud contains an electrical charge)

3. If I understand R. correctly, there is also a electrical potential difference between the cloud and the earth. Could you explain how this electrical potential difference comes about?

3. What R. just said, I do not understand entirely. Could you explain more about this? (R. rephrased from the first text that an electrical charge is created inside a cloud and stated that the cloud conveys this charge to the ground)

  1. Statements between brackets are added to provide contextual information

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Van Blankenstein, F.M., Dolmans, D.H.J.M., Van der Vleuten, C.P.M. et al. Elaboration during problem-based group discussion: Effects on recall for high and low ability students. Adv in Health Sci Educ 18, 659–672 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-012-9406-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-012-9406-8

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