Solicited versus Unsolicited Metacognitive Prompts for Fostering Mathematical Problem-Solving Using Multimedia

The study examined how student control over metacognitive prompts in
a multimedia environment affects students’ ability to solve mathematical
problems in immediate comprehension tasks using a multimedia program
and a delayed-transfer test. It also examined the effect on metacognitive
discourse, mental effort, and engagement with multimedia-based tasks.
Participants were 90 8th-grade students, randomly assigned to three
groups working in pairs: (a) “solicited prompts” group, with free access to
multimedia-based metacognitive prompts; (b) “unsolicited prompts” group,
consistently and regularly exposed to on-screen metacognitive prompts;
and (c) a control group with no multimedia metacognitive prompts. Mixed
method analysis showed that of the three groups the unsolicited prompts
group had the highest effects in the immediate comprehension tasks (d = 1.23;
1.92 respectively for the solicited prompts group and the control group)
and the delayed-transfer problem solving test (d = 0.55; 0.93, respectively).
The level of this group’s metacognitive discourse was higher, particularly
in the planning phase. Group members displayed less cognitive load on
the complex tasks and were more engaged in the multimedia activities. In
contrast, the solicited prompts group felt they were under a heavier cognitive
load than the other two groups. Finding implications and future directions
for study are discussed.