Concrete and imagined simulation of situation models enhance transfer of solutions to structurally different algebra word problems.

RICARDO A. MINERVINO; MÁXIMO TRENCH; NICOLÁS OBERHOLZER

Amsterdam, Holanda

Congreso; 31st Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society.; 2009

Cognitive Science Society

A number of studies on analogical transfer to algebra wordproblems have demonstrated that adapting a known solutionto nonisomorphic problems of the same type is challenging,and that most instructional aids do not alleviate this difficulty.We designed a non-interactive intervention intended toencourage students to formulate situation models for base andtarget, and to ground their equations in these representations.One of our experimental groups had to simulate the situationmodels via manipulating physical objects. The other grouphad to perform internal simulations. Both conditionsoutperformed a control group not required to run simulations,yielding comparable advantage. Situation model elaborationproved more effective when targets posed more difficulty ofequational assimilation. The implications of these findings forthe design of instructional interventions are discussed.