Can students benefit from prompting during experimentation? An investigation of the benefits of incremental scaffolds compared to sample solutions on cognitive load and flow experience in biology lessons

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that incremental scaffolds can support learners during the cognitively demanding task of experimentation, both cognitively and affectively. However, it remains unclear which component of these scaffolds is primarily responsible for their effectiveness. To address this gap, the present study compared incremental scaffolds with embedded prompts to sample solutions without prompting to examine the potential added value of prompting within incremental scaffolds. Methods: = 0.64 years) participated in two consecutive experiments on animals' thermoregulation strategies. The experimental group worked with incremental scaffolds that initially provided a prompt before revealing the sample solution, whereas the control group received sample solutions only. Findings: In both experiments, participants in the experimental group reported significantly higher flow experiences than the control group. Concerning extraneous cognitive load, the groups did not differ in the first experiment, but in the second, extraneous cognitive load was significantly lower in the experimental group. These findings suggest that the combination of prompts and sample solutions within incremental scaffolds is associated with reducing cognitive load and enhancing students' perceived learning experience.