Facilitating learning from technology-enhanced text: Effects of prompted elaborative interrogation

The authors examined the use of the elaborative interrogation (El) strategy with a lengthy text in a technology-enhanced environment. As commonly found in traditional and online text materials, questions appeared in the right margins of the text. Seventy-five randomly assigned volunteers in 2 conditions read instructional materials delivered by the Internet. Dependent measures included learning outcomes of free recall, recognition, and transfer tasks. At immediate and delayed testing, differences between higher order recognition questions and number of elaboration units recalled provided support for integrating El prompts in technology-enhanced environments. Design suggestions for development and use of Web-based instruction materials in K-16 classrooms are discussed. Future research directions that more fully investigate El and other strategy prompts within technology-enhanced materials are provided.