
Self-Explanation: Teaching Yourself to Learn Better
One of the most effective but underused learning strategies is self-explanation. When people pause to explain their reasoning, even briefly, they build stronger mental connections and deepen understanding. This article explores why self-explanation works, the research behind it, and how learning designers can integrate it into digital experiences through prompts, reflections, choices, and scenario-based reasoning. When learners articulate their thinking, they shift from simply recognising information to meaningfully processing it. The result is stronger comprehension, better decision making, and more durable learning.






