What is Self-Explanation?
Self-explanation is the process where learners explain concepts to themselves in their own words, connecting new information with prior knowledge. It's an active learning technique where students generate explanations about how new information relates to what they already know, or work through the steps of solving a problem by articulating their thought process.
Why Self-Explanation Works
Identifies Knowledge Gaps
When learners attempt to explain concepts to themselves, they naturally discover what they don't fully understand. These "knowledge gaps" become apparent when they struggle to articulate certain aspects of the material.
Enhances Integration
Self-explanation encourages learners to connect new information to existing knowledge, creating stronger neural networks and improving long-term retention.
Promotes Deep Processing
Rather than passively receiving information, self-explanation requires learners to actively process content, leading to deeper understanding and improved transfer of knowledge.
Builds Mental Models
Through explanation, learners develop coherent mental models of concepts, helping them organize information in meaningful ways that facilitate recall and application.
How Self-Explanation Improves Learning
Cognitive Mechanisms
Self-explanation works through several cognitive mechanisms:
- Elaboration: Connecting new information to prior knowledge creates additional retrieval pathways.
- Inference Generation: Filling in missing information by making logical connections between concepts.
- Mental Model Revision: Refining understanding by identifying and correcting misconceptions.
- Metacognitive Monitoring: Becoming aware of comprehension levels and adjusting learning strategies accordingly.
How to Implement Self-Explanation
Structured Approaches:
- Prompted Self-Explanation: Provide specific prompts like "Explain why this solution works" or "How does this relate to what you already know?"
- Example-Based Learning: Have students explain worked examples before attempting similar problems.
- Reciprocal Teaching: Students take turns explaining concepts to peers, enhancing both explanation and listening skills.
- Explain-Then-Practice: Students explain a concept before practicing related problems.
- Compare and Contrast: Explain similarities and differences between related concepts or problems.
Example of Self-Explanation in Action
Math Problem Context: A student learning about the Pythagorean theorem might self-explain:
"The Pythagorean theorem states that a² + b² = c² in a right triangle. This works because... the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides. I can visualize this by thinking about squares built on each side of the triangle. This relates to the distance formula I learned earlier, which is basically applying Pythagoras in a coordinate system. When I'm trying to find the distance between two points, I'm essentially finding the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by the horizontal and vertical distances between the points."
Best Practices for Educators
- Model effective self-explanation strategies before asking students to use them
- Provide scaffolding that gradually fades as students gain proficiency
- Incorporate self-explanation prompts into regular assignments and assessments
- Give feedback on the quality of explanations, not just correctness
- Use self-explanation in combination with other active learning strategies
- Encourage students to verbalize or write down their explanations
Challenges and Solutions
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Students generate superficial explanations | Provide explicit prompts that require deeper reasoning |
| Time constraints in classroom settings | Integrate brief self-explanation activities or assign as homework |
| Students with limited prior knowledge struggle | Pair with worked examples and gradually increase complexity |
| Difficulty assessing quality of explanations | Develop rubrics that focus on connection-making and inference generation |
Conclusion
Self-explanation is a powerful learning strategy that leverages active cognitive processing to enhance understanding and retention. By encouraging learners to articulate their thought processes and connect new information to existing knowledge, self-explanation fosters deeper learning and better transfer of knowledge to new situations. Educators can significantly improve learning outcomes by strategically incorporating self-explanation techniques into their instructional practices.