Introduction
In many learning environments, people move quickly from one question to the next without stopping to think about how they arrived at an answer. They choose an option, check if it is correct, and continue. While this approach may feel efficient, it often bypasses the deeper mental processing required for long-term understanding.
Self-explanation offers a powerful alternative. It is a simple yet transformative strategy that encourages learners to explain information to themselves in their own words. Rather than receiving knowledge passively, they construct meaning actively by linking new concepts with what they already know.
This technique has decades of research supporting its value. It improves comprehension, strengthens memory, and helps learners transfer knowledge to new contexts. For learning designers, self-explanation offers a low-cost, high-impact way to elevate the effectiveness of digital learning experiences.
This article explores the science behind self-explanation, its instructional value, and concrete ways to integrate it into e-learning design.
What Is Self-Explanation?
Self-explanation is the process of generating your own explanations as you learn. It is not the same as summarising. It is also not simply repeating information. Instead, self-explanation involves clarifying concepts, identifying gaps, linking ideas, and making sense of why something works the way it does.
The concept was introduced formally by educational psychologist Michelene Chi, who found that learners who explained ideas to themselves performed significantly better than those who did not.
Reference:
Chi, M. T. H., Bassok, M., Lewis, M. W., Reimann, P., and Glaser, R. (1989). Self-explanations: How students study and use examples in learning to solve problems.
Chi’s research revealed something powerful. The act of explanation changes how the brain processes information. It encourages deeper thinking and helps learners incorporate new knowledge into existing mental frameworks.
Why Self-Explanation Works
Decades of research in cognitive and educational psychology point to several mechanisms that make self-explanation effective:
1. It strengthens connections to prior knowledge
Learning is most effective when new ideas link to familiar concepts. When learners explain something in their own words, they actively search for those connections.
2. It exposes gaps in understanding
Explaining how or why something works reveals what the learner does not yet understand. This awareness is crucial for progress because it allows learners to correct misconceptions early.
3. It turns passive recognition into active reasoning
People often recognise correct answers without truly understanding them. Self-explanation shifts focus from selecting answers to evaluating reasoning.
4. It enhances transfer to real tasks
Because self-explanation strengthens conceptual understanding, it helps learners apply what they know in new contexts, not just in training scenarios.
5. It improves long-term memory
By activating deeper processing, self-explanation increases the likelihood that knowledge will be retained long after training is complete.
Reference:
Fiorella, L., and Mayer, R. (2015). Learning as a Generative Activity: Eight Learning Strategies that Promote Understanding.
Benefits for Learning and Performance
Self-explanation supports several important outcomes:
- Stronger comprehension of concepts
- Improved problem-solving skills
- Lower error rates
- Better reasoning and decision making
- Increased confidence in applying new knowledge
- Higher transfer from training to actual tasks
These benefits hold true across domains including compliance, leadership development, customer service, technical training, and product knowledge programs.
Designing for Self-Explanation
One of the strengths of self-explanation is that it does not require elaborate features or advanced technologies. It can be integrated into almost any learning format through simple, well-placed prompts.
Below are practical ways instructional designers can use self-explanation in digital learning.
1. Add reflection prompts after answers
Instead of simply marking an answer right or wrong, the system can ask:
- Why did you choose this answer?
- What information helped you decide?
- How might this apply in your context?
- What made this option stronger than the alternatives?
Even a single sentence encourages deeper thinking.
2. Require reasoning before revealing feedback
Before showing whether an answer is right, ask learners to briefly explain their logic. The reflection creates a moment of internal dialogue that deepens understanding.
3. Use branching scenarios that require justification
In scenario-based learning, add moments where learners must articulate:
- What they observed
- Why they selected a particular action
- What consequences they anticipate
This transforms scenarios from passive storytelling to active problem solving.
4. Add prediction prompts
Ask learners to predict the outcome before showing what actually happens. Predictions activate prior knowledge and create a need to explain reasoning.
Examples:
- What do you think the manager will do next?
- What is likely to happen if this issue is ignored?
- Which stakeholder will be most affected?
5. Include optional deeper-thinking questions
Even if learners are in a hurry, providing optional reflection allows motivated individuals to deepen understanding without slowing others down.
6. Use short journaling activities
These can be built into spaced learning touchpoints. A single question such as “What is one thing you would do differently now?” can reinforce learning through self-explanation.
7. Encourage learners to teach the concept to someone else
Teaching is one of the strongest forms of self-explanation. Prompts can suggest:
- Explain this concept to a colleague.
- Teach this step to someone new on your team.
- Record a short explanation for your own reference.
Even imagining teaching improves learning.
Reference:
The Learning by Teaching Effect: https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/sep/09/the-big-idea-how-the-protege-effect-can-help-you-learn-almost-anything
Examples Across Learning Contexts
1. Leadership Training
A module on delegation can include a scenario where participants must choose an action and then explain why it fits the employee’s capability and motivation.
2. Compliance Programs
Prompts can ask learners to explain why a specific action meets policy guidelines or how they would justify it during an audit.
3. Customer Service Skills
Practices such as conflict resolution can include short questions like, “What made you choose this approach with the customer?”
4. Sales Training
After a pricing scenario, learners can reflect on why they selected a negotiation tactic.
5. Technical Training
When teaching a troubleshooting process, learners can walk through their reasoning before seeing the final answer.
How Self-Explanation Improves Engagement
Self-explanation increases engagement not by adding complexity but by making thinking visible. It encourages learners to slow down, consider options, and mentally organise information. This creates a sense of ownership and personal involvement in the learning process. The approach aligns with constructivist learning theory, which says people build knowledge actively rather than absorb it passively. When learners explain concepts, they become participants rather than observers.
Potential Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
While self-explanation is powerful, it must be used carefully.
1. Do not overload the learner
Too many reflection questions can feel like a burden. Use them strategically.
2. Avoid vague prompts
Questions must be clear and concrete to be helpful.
3. Provide feedback that validates or corrects reasoning
Self-explanation works best when paired with constructive guidance.
4. Keep reflections short
Long essays are not necessary. A sentence or two is often enough.
5. Ensure relevance
Prompts should relate directly to learning objectives.nal psychology, such as constructivism, which emphasizes learning through active interpretation and mental engagement.
Conclusion
Self-explanation is one of the most reliable and well-researched strategies for deep learning. It transforms training from a process of selecting answers into a process of meaningful reasoning and reflection. When people explain their thinking, they slow down, explore their assumptions, correct misconceptions, and build stronger mental connections.
For learning designers, integrating self-explanation does not require complex technology or large budgets. A few thoughtful prompts, a well-crafted scenario, or a small reflection question can significantly increase retention and understanding.
In an environment where attention is limited and knowledge needs to transfer quickly to real-world performance, self-explanation offers a practical and scientifically grounded way to help learners make knowledge truly their own.
FAQ: Self-Explanation In Learning
1. What is self-explanation in learning?
Self-explanation is the practice of explaining concepts, decisions, or reasoning in your own words while learning. It helps deepen understanding by linking new information with what you already know.
2. Why is self-explanation effective?
Research shows that self-explanation strengthens comprehension, reveals gaps in understanding, improves problem solving, and supports long-term retention because it requires active mental processing.
3. How can self-explanation be used in digital learning?
It can be integrated through prompts that ask learners to justify their choices, reflect on their reasoning, predict outcomes, or explain how they would apply a concept in real situations.
4. Does self-explanation slow down the learning process?
It adds a brief pause, but this pause significantly improves understanding and memory. Even short reflection prompts can produce measurable gains.
5. What types of questions work best for self-explanation?
Questions that ask “why,” “how,” or “what influenced your choice” are most effective. They encourage deeper thinking and help learners clarify their reasoning.
Why Choose Learnnovators?
Learnnovators is a global leader in custom e-learning solutions. Founded in Chennai (India) in 2003, we’ve delivered 15,000+ hours of learning content in 60+ languages for 300+ clients across 5 continents.
We are a trusted e-learning partner for leading enterprises worldwide. We design learner-centric, scalable solutions that strengthen performance, deepen engagement, and align with your strategic business goals. Whether you want to improve training outcomes or accelerate business growth, our solutions are built to maximise impact and deliver sustainable results.
Our services include Custom E-Learning, Mobile Learning, Gamified Learning, Blended Learning, Flash To HTML5 Conversion, Localization, and Moodle Customization. We also offer a Learning Management System (LMS) called Learnospace.
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