A self-regulated learning strategy where learners generate explanations for newly encountered information, drawing on prior knowledge to construct causal narratives and identify gaps in understanding. The mechanism operates through three steps: (1) encountering new material, (2) pausing to ask 'why' or 'how' questions about the content, and (3) producing an explanation that connects the new information to existing mental models. The persistence mechanism is pedagogical practice — embedded in instructional design, teacher training, and empirical educational research demonstrating measurable gains in comprehension. [formal: explicitatio | substrate: mind | horizon: a life | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
self-explanation-effect
A self-regulated learning strategy where learners generate explanations for newly encountered information, drawing on prior knowledge to construct causal narratives and identify gaps in understanding. The mechanism operates through three s…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A self-regulated learning strategy where learners generate explanations for new information as they encounter it, forcing them to integrate material with prior knowledge, identify gaps, and construct causal narratives. Built to persist through classroom practice, educational research, and curriculum design as a measurable predictor of comprehension and retention.
Names and aliases
- self-explanation-effecten · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrysnne801xlekkxqxo7iqrmINSTANCE_OF →
Self-explanation-effect IS a specific kind of learning-strategy — a pedagogical technique where learners generate explanations to improve comprehension. Competent-speaker test: 'self-explanation is a learning strategy.' Direction: specific (self-explanation-effect) → general (learning-strategy) follows Law 9.
- cmsidpj1q000nnzgdkifffe5cINSTANCE_OF →
The self-explanation effect is a specific kind of learning mechanism in which learners generate explanations of the material they are studying, which deepens comprehension and retention. It is a documented pedagogical technique.
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No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Aug 7, 2026, 5:14 AM UTC
- Content hash
- fa4bb2ff9fbcafbde51e0cfc7b7aaf8aa3b855bbab3333c425435bb1206894ff