Deliberate Errors Promote Meaningful Learning
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| Title: | Deliberate Errors Promote Meaningful Learning |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Wong, Sarah Shi Hui (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Educational Psychology. Nov 2022 114(8):1817-1831. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2022 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Thinking Skills, Error Patterns, Error Correction, Learning Processes, Metacognition, Recall (Psychology), Retention (Psychology), Concept Mapping, Learning Strategies, Undergraduate Students, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | Singapore |
| DOI: | 10.1037/edu0000720 |
| ISSN: | 0022-0663 1939-2176 |
| Abstract: | Our civilization recognizes that errors can be valuable learning opportunities, but for decades, they have widely been avoided or, at best, allowed to occur as serendipitous accidents. The present research tested whether greater learning success could paradoxically be achieved through making errors by intentional design, relative to traditional errorless learning methods. We show that deliberately committing and correcting errors even when one knows the correct answers enhances learning--a counterintuitive phenomenon that we termed the derring effect. Across two experiments (N = 160), learners engaged in open-book study of scientific expository texts and were then tested on their retention and higher-order application of the material to analyze a novel news event. Deliberate error commission and correction during study produced not only better recall performance, but also superior knowledge application compared to two errorless study techniques that are popular among students and educational researchers: copying with underlining, and elaborative studying with concept mapping (Experiment 1). These learning benefits persisted even over generating alternative conceptually correct answers, revealing that the derring effect is not merely attributable to generation or elaboration alone, but is unique to producing incorrect responses (Experiment 2). Yet, learners were largely unaware of these advantages even after experiencing them. Our results suggest that avoiding errors in learning may not always be most optimal. Rather, deliberate erring is a powerful strategy to enhance meaningful learning. We discuss implications for educational practice in redesigning conventional approaches to errors: To err is human; to deliberately err is divine. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2023 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1372905 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1372905 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Deliberate Errors Promote Meaningful Learning – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wong%2C+Sarah+Shi+Hui%22">Wong, Sarah Shi Hui</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4243-212X">0000-0003-4243-212X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lim%2C+Stephen+Wee+Hun%22">Lim, Stephen Wee Hun</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3636-7587">0000-0003-3636-7587</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. Nov 2022 114(8):1817-1831. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 15 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2022 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thinking+Skills%22">Thinking Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Error+Patterns%22">Error Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Error+Correction%22">Error Correction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Processes%22">Learning Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Metacognition%22">Metacognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recall+%28Psychology%29%22">Recall (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Retention+%28Psychology%29%22">Retention (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Concept+Mapping%22">Concept Mapping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Strategies%22">Learning Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Singapore%22">Singapore</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1037/edu0000720 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Our civilization recognizes that errors can be valuable learning opportunities, but for decades, they have widely been avoided or, at best, allowed to occur as serendipitous accidents. The present research tested whether greater learning success could paradoxically be achieved through making errors by intentional design, relative to traditional errorless learning methods. We show that deliberately committing and correcting errors even when one knows the correct answers enhances learning--a counterintuitive phenomenon that we termed the derring effect. Across two experiments (N = 160), learners engaged in open-book study of scientific expository texts and were then tested on their retention and higher-order application of the material to analyze a novel news event. Deliberate error commission and correction during study produced not only better recall performance, but also superior knowledge application compared to two errorless study techniques that are popular among students and educational researchers: copying with underlining, and elaborative studying with concept mapping (Experiment 1). These learning benefits persisted even over generating alternative conceptually correct answers, revealing that the derring effect is not merely attributable to generation or elaboration alone, but is unique to producing incorrect responses (Experiment 2). Yet, learners were largely unaware of these advantages even after experiencing them. Our results suggest that avoiding errors in learning may not always be most optimal. Rather, deliberate erring is a powerful strategy to enhance meaningful learning. We discuss implications for educational practice in redesigning conventional approaches to errors: To err is human; to deliberately err is divine. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2023 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1372905 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1372905 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1037/edu0000720 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 1817 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Thinking Skills Type: general – SubjectFull: Error Patterns Type: general – SubjectFull: Error Correction Type: general – SubjectFull: Learning Processes Type: general – SubjectFull: Metacognition Type: general – SubjectFull: Recall (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Retention (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Concept Mapping Type: general – SubjectFull: Learning Strategies Type: general – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Singapore Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Deliberate Errors Promote Meaningful Learning Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wong, Sarah Shi Hui – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lim, Stephen Wee Hun IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 11 Type: published Y: 2022 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0022-0663 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1939-2176 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 114 – Type: issue Value: 8 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Educational Psychology Type: main |
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