Why Minimally Guided Teaching Techniques Do Not Work: A Reply to Commentaries

In this reply to commentaries on the Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006) Clark, R. C., Nguyen, F. and Sweller, J. 2006. Efficiency in learning: Evidence-based guidelines to manage cognitive load, San Francisco: Pfeiffer. [Google Scholar] paper, we not only reemphasize the importance of randomized, controlled experimental tests of competing instructional procedures, but also indicate that altering one variable at a time is an essential feature of a properly controlled experiment. Furthermore, we also emphasize that variable must be relevant to the issue at hand with its effects explainable by our knowledge of human cognitive architecture. We reject the view that the presentation of relevant information should be reduced in favor of teaching learners how to find information. Lastly, we indicate that we believe a new educational psychology has been developed that has the potential to rapidly change our field.