Fostering Information Problem Solving Skills: Effects of Worked Examples and Learner Support

Even though students often manage to find their way around the internet in their search for information; information problem solving skills do not develop naturally. Previous research shows that adults and teenagers often encounter problems when solving information problems, indicating that formal training in this domain is needed. This study was an attempt to develop such training. A two-hour computer based instruction was presented to 99 first-year university students at a Belgian university. The effects of worked examples in the form of a video were investigated in combination with different degrees of integrated learner support, namely completion problems and process guidance. Results show that the instruction was effective, but no differences were found between the different forms of learner support: completion problems, guidance, or no support. This indicates that in this situation, integration of learner support may not always be necessary. Furthermore, students who received no worked example improved much less than students in the other conditions, indicating that worked examples are a powerful and effective tool for skill teaching.