Abstract:
Current educational practice, which normally takes the form of lectures, has been criticised for its inability to promote active learning, and has been found to be associated with poor educational outcomes. This inadequacy of lectures is particularly problematic with regard to the teaching of research methodologies, one of the most challenging topics to teach and learn. Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) provides an alternative method of teaching that is efficient and effective in teaching a range of academic contents to students. The present study uses a multiple-probe design to examine the utility of EBI in teaching the concepts of single-subject design to university students. Our findings contribute to the EBI literature by demonstrating the emergence of novel relations following EBI for most participants with different levels of abilities. Study 1 also included an explicit comparison between lectures and EBI. Results suggest that EBI was more effective in enhancing performance than lectures, and that although some participants improved after the lecture, others showed a decline in performance. Despite the apparent effectiveness of EBI, students did not show a clear preference for EBI over the lecture, a potential implication that learning does not necessarily equal enjoyment. Study 2 further supports EBI as an efficient instructional method in teaching academic content to learners with little existing knowledge, in a short period of time. Repeated exposure to testing stimuli was not found to enhance learning; however, this may have been due to the limitations of our study. Minimal training may lead to the emergence of a larger number of novel relations. Further research is warranted to examine the most effective way of implementing EBI. Overall, EBI is found to be a promising pedagogy approach in tertiary education. Future research should explore whether it can be used to teach a wider range of skills and knowledge that are typically taught at universities.
