Writing learning journals: Instructional support to overcome learning-strategy deficits.
Hübner, S., Nückles, M., & Renkl, A. (2010). Learning and Instruction, 20(1), 18–29. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ863671
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examining35Students, grades9-12
Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: January 2023
- Practice Guide (findings for Learning journals and informed prompting—Hübner et al. (2010))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Metacognition |
Learning journals and informed prompting—Hübner et al. (2010) vs. Business as usual |
7 Days |
Informed Prompting Intervention group vs. control;
|
2.28 |
1.76 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Study sample characteristics were not reported.Study Details
Setting
This study included students from different secondary schools in Germany.
Study sample
Mean age of 17.62, about one-third male.
Intervention Group
The intervention condition took place in session 1 (the "training" session) that lasted 2 hours, at the end of which a post-test was administered. Students in all conditions were first introduced to learning journals, and students in the prompting condition then watched a PowerPoint presentation on the effectiveness of declarative knowledge and conditional knowledge strategies. The students in the example condition watched a PowerPoint presentation that reviewed an exemplary learning journal, and students were required to answer questions confirming their understanding of the content. The prompting and example group viewed both PowerPoint presentations. After this, all students viewed a lecture during which they were not permitted to take notes. After the lecture, students were given 30 minutes to write in their learning journals, after which there were provided with instructional text on the topic covered in the video. They were then able to update their journals. Finally, students were tested on their comprehension of the material. One week later students attended session 2 (the "transfer" session), in which all groups received the same instruction, watched another video, again wrote in the learning journals, and in which another posttest was administered.
Comparison Group
The comparison group received the same general instructions and prompts provided in all experimental conditions, but no additional instruction.
Support for implementation
PowerPoint presentations and video lectures were used; no other support was provided.
Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively
Review Details
Reviewed: June 2017
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Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively Practice Guide
(findings for Secondary Writing)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Metacognition |
Secondary Writing vs. Business as usual |
7 Days |
Learning Journal Example intervention group vs. Control group;
|
2.88 |
1.76 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Male: 36% -
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International
Study Details
Setting
This study included students from different secondary schools in Germany.
Study sample
Mean age of 17.62, about one-third male.
Intervention Group
The intervention condition took place in session 1 (the "training" session) that lasted 2 hours, at the end of which a post-test was administered. Students in all conditions were first introduced to learning journals, and students in the prompting condition then watched a PowerPoint presentation on the effectiveness of declarative knowledge and conditional knowledge strategies. The students in the example condition watched a PowerPoint presentation that reviewed an exemplary learning journal, and students were required to answer questions confirming their understanding of the content. The prompting and example group viewed both PowerPoint presentations. After this, all students viewed a lecture during which they were not permitted to take notes. After the lecture, students were given 30 minutes to write in their learning journals, after which there were provided with instructional text on the topic covered in the video. They were then able to update their journals. Finally, students were tested on their comprehension of the material. One week later students attended session 2 (the "transfer" session), in which all groups received the same instruction, watched another video, again wrote in the learning journals, and in which another posttest was administered.
Comparison Group
The comparison group received the same general instructions and prompts provided in all experimental conditions, but no additional instruction.
Support for implementation
PowerPoint presentations and video lectures were used; no other support was provided.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
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A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
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Study findings for this report.
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