Abstract
Although the facilitative effects of instructional analogies have been well-documented, research has ignored their potential role in the formation of domain-specific misconceptions. A model for predicting the likelihood of analogical misrepresentation is presented. The model assumes that two factors interact to influence the potential for misrepresentation: locus of generation (learner-generated or teacher-generated) and component analogical process (selection or mapping). The research reviewed provides support for the model's predictions that (a) selection difficulties increase the potential for misrepresentation under learner-generated conditions, and (b) mapping difficulties increase the potential for misrepresentation under teacher-generated conditions. Application of research findings with proportional analogies and analogical problem-solving to a systematic investigation of the effects of instructional and elaborative analogies is recommended.
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