The assessment experiment used to compare the standard and double transfer paradigms.
Students completed one of two instructional treatments: invention-based (inventing
their own solution without feedback) versus tell-and-practice (learning a demonstrated visual
procedure and practicing). Half of the students in each treatment had to solve the target transfer
problem directly, per the standard paradigm. The other half of the students in each treatment received
a learning resource embedded in the test, and then had to solve the target transfer problem,
per the double transfer design. The question is whether the inclusion of the embedded resource
changes the results on the target transfer problem. The assessment experiments attempt
to show (a) the double transfer paradigm detects levels of knowing missed by the standard paradigm,
and (b) some forms of instruction prepare students to learn better than others.