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Prior knowledge activation as preparation prior to instruction

Does the Coverage of Relevant Prior Knowledge Affect Learning

Bibliographic Data

ID7802873
AuthorsCharleen Brand (0000-0001-8849-0101, Ruhr University Bochum, corresponding author), Katharina Loibl (0000-0002-1773-1913, University of Education Freiburg), Nikol Rummel (0000-0002-3187-5534, Ruhr University Bochum)
Year2025
Volume53
Issue6
Pages1633-1661
Publication date2025-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInstructional Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-4277 • E-ISSN: 1573-1952
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s11251-025-09727-6
OpenAlexW4412347883
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited57

Two-phase instructional designs such as Productive and Vicarious Failure employ preparatory activities before explicit instruction. It is assumed that during this preparatory activity, students need to activate their prior knowledge in order to be prepared for subsequent instruction. However, empirical findings on this preparatory mechanism are scarce, and causal evidence is lacking. In an experimental design ( N = 165), we manipulated secondary school students’ relevant prior knowledge activation by systematically varying the coverage of conceptual components of the targeted concept in solution attempts that students study in the preparatory phase: Students received solution attempts with either a high or a low coverage of conceptual components. The results reveal that students do not necessarily have to activate relevant prior knowledge covering all aspects of the targeted concept prior to instruction. Activating some relevant knowledge can prepare students for subsequent instruction and benefit students of all levels of prior knowledge. Moreover, we provide first evidence that students’ prior knowledge activation becomes visible in their intermediate knowledge

Affect (linguistics) · Educational psychology · Mathematics education · Education and Critical Thinking Development · Educational Assessment and Pedagogy · Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning · Psychology

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Unique citing works2
Citations per year2
Citation span2025 - 2026 (2)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 2
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