Optimizing Worked‐Example Instruction in Electrical Engineering: The Role of Fading and Feedback during Problem‐Solving Practice

Abstract

Abstract How can we help college students develop problem‐solving skills in engineering? To answer this question, we asked a group of engineering freshmen to learn about electrical circuit analysis with an instructional program that presented different problem‐solving practice and feedback methods. Three findings are of interest. First, students who practiced by solving all problem steps and those who practiced by solving a gradually increasing number of steps starting with the first step first (forward‐fading practice) produced higher near‐transfer scores than those who were asked to solve a gradually increasing number of steps but starting with the last step first (backward‐fading practice). Second, students who received feedback immediately after attempting each problem‐solving step outperformed those who received total feedback on near transfer. Finally, students who learned with backward‐fading practice produced higher near‐ and far‐transfer scores when feedback included the solution of a similar worked‐out problem. The theoretical and practical implications for engineering education are discussed.

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