We compared types of transfer facilitated by instructions to
engage in analogical comparison or self-explanation.
Participants received learning materials and worked examples
with prompts supporting analogical comparison, selfexplanation,
or instructional explanation study. Learners also
self-reported their use of analogical comparison and selfexplanation
on a series of questionnaires. We evaluated
condition effects on self-reports and transfer, and the relations
between self-reports and transfer. Receiving materials with
analogical-comparison support and reporting greater levels of
analogical comparison were both associated with worse
transfer performance, while reporting greater levels of selfexplanation
was associated with better performance.
Learners’ self-reports of analogical comparison and selfexplanation
were not related to condition assignment,
suggesting that the questionnaires did not measure the same
processes promoted by the intervention, or that individual
differences are robust even when learners are instructed to
engage in analogical comparison or self-explanation