Does the Format of Pretraining Matter?: A Study on the Effects of Different Pretraining Approaches on Prior Knowledge Construction in an Online Learning Environment

The current study investigated an important issue pertinent to pretraining and prior knowledge construction. It examined whether different formats of pretraining, namely, concept map and two-phase, isolated-interactive elements learning would influence the way prior knowledge was constructed. In addition, it looked into the influence of spatial ability on pretraining and prior knowledge construction. Results showed that spatial ability did not play a significant role in learners’ prior knowledge construction. The findings suggest that effective learning is marked by a relevant existing prior knowledge (i.e., schema). The successful construction of the relevant prior knowledge, irrespective of the format, is what makes learning meaningful and effective. DOI: 10.4018/ijcbpl.2012040103 36 International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 2(2), 35-47, April-June 2012 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. problem solving, etc., researchers have been focused on the instructional strategies that facilitate the construction of prior knowledge. Examples include using concept map to facilitate learners’ prior knowledge construction (Chang, Sung, & Chen, 2002; Gurlitt & Renkl, 2008; Hilbert & Renkl, 2008) or using a two-phase, isolated-interacting elements learning approach to help learners build their prior knowledge before they are exposed to more advanced content (Lee et al., 2006; Pollock, Chandler, & Sweller, 2002). Other pretraining approaches include using visual and sound methods (Janssen, 1972), systematic vs. unsystematic pretraining (White, 1972), and so forth. However, the first two types of pretraining, that is, concept map and two-phase, isolated-interacting elements learning approach have been heavily studied and applied to a variety of instructional situations. Results have shown positive effects for both approaches in terms of prior knowledge construction and outcome performance. Yet, the aforementioned forms of pretraining seem to be effective only in instructional situations in which the specific pretraining (i.e., concept map or two-phase, isolated-interacting elements learning) was carried out. Therefore, it is unknown if both approaches would be equally effective in one particular instructional situation. In other words, does the format of pretraining matter if the learner is to learn some complex content where either concept mapping or twophase, isolated-interacting elements learning pretraining is applied? The goal of this article is to examine the effects of different types of pretraining on learners’ prior knowledge construction. The study helps researchers identify the relationship between pretraining and prior knowledge acquisition on the one hand, and inform instructional designers of the functionality of various pretraining formats in learning on the other; both of which have significant theoretical and practical implications for the field.