Multiplication, division and factoring: transfer of learning between related operations

The Identical Elements model (Rickard, 2005) predicts transfer of learning (i.e., performance improvement after practice) between multiplication and factoring (i.e., when given the product, answering with the factors), but not between multiplication and division or between division and factoring. Recently, the first prediction was confirmed in a study by Campbell and Robert (2008). They showed that the bidirectional association in multiplication memory (between multiplication operands and their products, and underlying both multiplication and factoring performance), behaves adaptively: Interference occurred when only one operation (multiplication or factoring) was practiced, facilitation occurred when both operations were practiced. In this talk, a series of experiments will be reported in which the second and third prediction were tested. Results showed no transfer of learning between multiplication and factoring, when either one or both operations were practiced. But we did observe transfer of learning between multiplication and division when either one or both operations were practiced, as well as transfer of learning between division and factoring, although only when both operations were practiced.status: publishe