Leveraging Examples in e-Learning

Blog Text about Leveraging Worked Examples

Introduction
This review is about chapter 12 of e-Learning and the Science of Instruction by Clark and Mayer. In the study of pedagogy, arguments are made for what the best techniques are to use, but often they are only supported by opinions.  Clark and Mayer found appropriate research that matched and supported the topic of worked examples as a more effective teaching style for high cognitive load subjects.  For simpler subjects, practice problems were shown to be better.
Summary
Worked examples were shown to be a much better method of teaching then practice problems, for complex high load problems.  Fading was explored as a method of gradually getting the learners to get more involved with the topic. For example, an educator would have 4 worked examples prepared and in the example one  they would show how to do it all, on the  second example two learners would complete the last step, on the example three the educator would do the first steps and leave the rest for the learners to complete in groups of two. Lastly, example four one worked problem was given for students to do on their own.  Students studying this way learned faster than with lots of practice problems. 
Far learning is where learners learn guideline that are adaptable to different situations, in order to teach learners this more challenging skill, varied work examples were used with the same principles to help learners understand guiding principles.
Analysis
The supporting studies and graphs were easy to understand except for the medical sales ones.  It was easy to see the improvement and impacts of using worked examples and then adding on fading, groups of two, and varied worked examples to achieve far learning.
Personal reaction
From teaching experience using fading with worked examples I know it works for most students. However, there was not an indication for what ages this strategy should be used. 
Conclusion
Generally, I agree with the findings in this chapter and recommend it for other teachers to study for improved teaching approaches.
Reference
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2016). E-Learning and the science of instruction: proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. doi: 978-1-1191-5866-0
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