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Concrete examples#

See also: effective-learning-strategies, worked-examples

Abstract concepts are harder to learn than concrete. Using concrete examples (in various ways) to complement abstract concepts helps improve learning.

Selecting concrete examples should be done with care, including

  • Ensure concrete examples and abstract instructions are consistent.

  • Novices often notice and remember surface details (particularly problematic in mathematics)

    Provide multiple examples to draw these out.

Advice for students#

  • Collect examples used and search for more
  • Link the idea being studied and each example seeking to understand how the example applies to the idea
  • share examples with friends and explain them to each other
  • creating your own examples is more helpful
  • make sure your examples are correct

References#

Rawson, K. A., Thomas, R. C., & Jacoby, L. L. (2015). The Power of Examples: Illustrative Examples Enhance Conceptual Learning of Declarative Concepts. Educational Psychology Review, 27(3), 483--504. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9273-3

Weinstein, Y., Madan, C. R., & Sumeracki, M. A. (2018). Teaching the science of learning. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 3(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-017-0087-y