Effect of availability of reference materials with self-explanation on cognitive skill learning

The present study investigated the effect of reference material when it is used with self-explanation on cognitive skill learning. The main objective of this study was to investigate if there was an interaction effect between self-explanation and availability of reference materials.; The independent variables of this study were self-explanation (high/low) and the availability of reference materials (available/not available). The dependent variable of this study was the result of an immediate posttest.; Seventy-three college students studied computer-based instruction on the topic “permutation” in mathematics. The participants were randomly assigned either to the reference materials available group or to the reference materials not available group. All the participants were prompted to explain the content to themselves while they studied the target instruction. Participants were divided into either high self explainers or low self-explainers based on the amount of self-explanation they made.; No interaction effect between self-explanation and availability of reference materials on the result of cognitive skill learning was found. Self-explanation effect was replicated. The result did not show an effect of reference materials.