Does prior domain-specific content knowledge influence students' recall of arguments surrounding interdisciplinary topics?

J Adolesc

Pedagogical Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, School of Educational and Social Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Germany. Electronic address:

Published: December 2017

Awareness of various arguments can help interactants present opinions, stress points, and build counterarguments during discussions. At school, some topics are taught in a way that students learn to accumulate knowledge and gather arguments, and later employ them during debates. Prior knowledge may facilitate recalling information on well structured, fact-based topics, but does it facilitate recalling arguments during discussions on complex, interdisciplinary topics? We assessed the prior knowledge in domains related to a bioethical topic of 277 students from Germany (approximately 15 years old), their interest in the topic, and their general knowledge. The students read a text with arguments for and against prenatal diagnostics and tried to recall the arguments one week later and again six weeks later. Prior knowledge in various domains related to the topic individually and separately helped students recall the arguments. These relationships were independent of students' interest in the topic and their general knowledge.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2017.10.001DOI Listing

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