Learning about multivariable causality with interactive simulations: exploration before instruction may hurt immediate gains but benefits transfer

Studying complex interactions between variables to comprehend phenomena can be challenging for students of all ages. Simulations are often used to facilitate exploratory learning of complex phenomena, but students still face difficulties in comprehending interactions between factors. This study examined the comparative effectiveness of the Problem-Solving before Instruction (PS-I) approach versus the Instruction before Problem Solving approach (I-PS) in this context. In PS-I, learners are presented with complex tasks that help them understand the domain before they are taught the target concepts. While PS-I has been found to be effective in several domain-specific contexts, few studies have explored its benefits for learning general inquiry skills. The current study focused on the impact of using simulations before and after instruction on the development of Multivariable Causality (MVC) strategy and reasoning. In this controlled-experimental design, 35 undergraduate students completed a virus transmission exploration task using simulations that was then followed by instruction (Exploration-First), and 36 students were taught first before completing the virus transmission exploration task (Instruction-first). All the students then completed a second exploration task on the same topic at the end of the intervention, followed by a transfer exploration task on Predator-Prey relationships. The results showed that instruction before exploration had immediate benefits on learning and applying MVC. However, no significant differences between approaches were found for the development of students’ MVC strategy or reasoning at the end of the intervention. In the transfer context, the Exploration-First students transferred their MVC strategy better and showed more advanced MVC reasoning. These findings suggest that the Exploration-First approach may improve the transfer of inquiry strategies and reasoning by incorporating interactive simulations.