The Effect of Answering Pre-questions and Evaluating Confidence in Preparation on Learning in Classroom Instruction

Abstract

This study examined effective means of preparatory learning for upcoming classroom instructions. In a summer seminar on history, 76 junior high school students were assigned to three experimental groups: the answering pre-questions group, the rating confidence group, and the answering and rating confidence group. The results showed that answering pre-questions enabled students to integrate information in classroom lessons, while the rating confidence directed students’ attention to information in classroom lessons related to pre-questions. This study also revealed that, especially for students with low meaningful learning belief, rating confidence is effective. Suggestions for educational practices and future studies are discussed.