Effects Of Presentation Modes Of Source Problems On Analogical Transfer In Disciplinary Problem Solving

Analogical transfer plays an irreplaceable role in human learning activities. Despite this acknowledgement, only recently has it become a prominent topic in the psychology of thinking. However, research of the past decade is not enough about the effects of presentation modes of source analog in disciplinary fields, and little attention has been paid to subjects' responses and strategies during analogical transfer. From the view of external presentation of problems, this study, by using same structural disciplinary problems, examined the effects of presentation modes of source problem on problem solving and time controlling and thinking strategies during analogical transfer process. The results provide both theoretical and instructional implications.Two experiments have been designed to support this research. The first one, under this condition all participants were provided with the same source problems, focused on the effects of surface feature of source analog on problem solving and subjects' responses such as time controlling and thinking strategies. The second one, in this condition all participants were requested to solve one same target problem, focused on the effects of different surface relationships between two source problems on analogical transfer. The results obtained from these experiments are:1.Surface similarity between source and target has a significant impact on analogical transfer. Under structural similar condition, the deeper the extent of surface similarity, the higher is the score obtained from analogical transfer. Transfer was occurred more easily between problems in the same discipline fields. Surface similarity affects not only the retrieval of source analog but also the solving process.2.Effective strategies used to activate source analog can be based on surface as well as on structure. Analysis the solution of source problem, compare the differences and relations between source and target problems, and categorize target problems automatically are three kinds of useful thinking strategies. There is no significant relationship between learning time and transfer effects during analogical transfer.3. In the two source problems condition, solution method induction has a significant impact on transfer. No significant differences were found between the two surface similar source problems and the two surface dissimilar ones. Interaction between solution method induction and surface relationship of source problems was not found.4.Without solution method induction, the effect of learning two source problems was not better than that of learning one source problem. Only under solution method induction condition, significant difference can be found between learning one and two source problems.