Question presentation methods for paired-associate learning

Four different methods of question presentation, in interactive computeraided learning of Dutch-English word pairs are evaluated experimentally. These methods are: 1) the 'open-question method', 2) the 'multiple-choice method', 3) the 'sequential method' and 4) the 'true/ false method'. When consistently applied over a learning session, the true/false method provided the highest learning rate. In the true/ false method, questions consist of the relevant (Dutch) stimulus word together with a possibly correct (English) t.ranslation. The student indicates whether the displayed combination is ' true' or 'false' . For reinforcement, the correct combination is thereupon displayed. The question selection strategy depended in all four cases on the student's response history. The learning rate obtained for the true/false method was found to be almost the same as that resulting from the traditional way of noninteractive vocabulary learning, that is the 'paper-and-pencil ' method. Students preferred the true/ false method to the paper· and-pencil method because of its vividness and administrative support. It is suggested that, for optimal results, the applied presentation method should also vary, depending on the student's mastery of the word pairs.