New information that is compatible with pre-existing knowledge can be learned faster. Such schema memory effect has been reported in declarative memory and in explicit motor sequence learning (MSL). Here, we investigated if sequences of key presses that were compatible to previously trained ones, could be learned faster in an implicit MSL task.…

Being able to notice that a cause-effect relation is getting stronger or weaker is important for adapting to one's environment and deciding how to use the cause in the future. We conducted an experiment in which participants learned about a cause-effect relation that either got stronger or weaker over time. The experiment was conducted with a…

Statistical learning allows us to implicitly create memory traces of recurring sequential patterns appearing in our environment. Here, we study the dynamics of how these sequential memory traces develop in a species of nonhuman primates (i.e., Guinea baboons, "Papio papio") that, unlike humans, cannot use language and verbal recoding…

Despite the efforts of instructional design (ID) to solve real-life problems, it remains challenging to adapt and be flexible in such situations. In particular, problems that require simultaneous knowledge of multiple domains and contexts are more challenging to solve because real-life problems do not reconstruct the learned experience. This is…

Research on the effectiveness of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) suggests that automatic hint generation has the best effect on learning outcomes when hints are provided on the level of intermediate steps. However, ITSs for programming tasks face the challenge to decide on the granularity of steps for feedback, since it is not a priori clear…

Learning to perform multiple tasks robustly is a crucial facet of human intelligence, yet its mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we formulated four hypotheses concerning task interactions and investigated them by analyzing training sequence effects through a continual learning framework. Forty-nine subjects learned seven tasks sequentially, each of…

In research practice, it is common to measure cognitive load after learning using self-report scales. This approach can be considered risky because it is unclear on what basis learners assess cognitive load, particularly when the learning material contains varying levels of complexity. This raises questions that have yet to be answered by…

Recursive hierarchical embedding allows humans to generate multiple hierarchical levels using simple rules. We can acquire recursion from exposure to linguistic and visual examples, but only develop the ability to understand "multiple-level" structures like "[[second] red] ball]" after mastering "same-level"…

Imitation plays a crucial role in early social learning. Numerous studies indicate that young children copy even actions that are clearly irrelevant for goal achievement--a phenomenon called overimitation (OI). The present study tested whether this finding can be generalized to different forms of faithful nonsense imitation presented in different…

In the realm of e-learning, supporting personalized learning effectively necessitates recommending sequences of learning items that maximize learning efficiency while minimizing cognitive load, all tailored to the learner's goals. These recommendations must account for the prerequisite relationships among learning items and the learner's…

Complex sequences are ubiquitous in human mental life, structuring representations within many different cognitive domains--natural language, music, mathematics, and logic, to name a few. However, the representational and computational machinery used to learn abstract grammars and process complex sequences is unknown. Here, we used an artificial…

Second language acquisition (SLA) researchers have long searched for patterning in the development of linguistic elements (e.g., grammar and morphology). However, little attention has been given to the examination of systematicity in vocabulary acquisition, limiting our understanding about how overall vocabulary is learnt. The current study…

The progress achieved in the models used by future Spanish primary school teachers on the phenomenon of tides is analysed after implementing a modelling-based didactic sequence. It was implemented throughout ten sessions in two classes (N = 88). An open-ended questionnaire was used as a data collecting instrument. Based on prior studies and the…

This study employs the Experiential Learning Theory framework to investigate students' use of a wildfire simulation. We analyzed log files automatically generated by middle and high school students (n = 1515) as they used a wildfire simulation and answered associated prompts in three simulation-based tasks. We first analyzed students' log files to…

Research on L2 acquisition of the Spanish perfective and imperfective past has suggested that order-of-instruction (preterite before imperfect) may significantly contribute to learners' difficulty with mastering the imperfect. We sought to empirically test the effect of order-of-instruction by implementing a program-wide intervention in a beginner…