title: Preparing learners with partly incorrect intuitive prior knowledge for learning.
abstract: Learners sometimes have incoherent and fragmented intuitive prior knowledge that is (partly) "incompatible" with the to-be-learned contents. Such knowledge in pieces can cause conceptual disorientation and cognitive overload while learning. We hypothesized that a pre-training intervention providing a generalized schema as a structuring framework for such knowledge in pieces would support (re)organizing-processes of prior knowledge and thus reduce unnecessary cognitive load during subsequent learning. Fifty-six student teachers participated in the experiment. A framework group underwent a pre-training intervention providing a generalized, categorical schema for categorizing primary learning strategies and related but different strategies as a cognitive framework for (re-)organizing their prior knowledge. Our control group received comparable factual information but no framework. Afterwards, all participants learned about primary learning strategies. The framework group claimed to possess higher levels of interest and self-efficacy, achieved higher learning outcomes, and learned more efficiently. Hence, providing a categorical framework can help overcome the barrier of incorrect prior knowledge in pieces.
authors: Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Ohst
authors: Department of Educational Sciences, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany.
authors: Béatrice M E
authors: BM
authors: Fondu
authors: Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany.
authors: Inga
authors: I
authors: Glogger
authors: Department of Educational Sciences, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany.
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Nückles
authors: Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Renkl
keywords: cognitive load theory; generalized schemata; knowledge in pieces; learning strategies; teacher education