High scaffolding of an unfamiliar strategy improves conceptual learning but reduces enjoyment compared to low scaffolding and strategy freedom

Adaptive learning systems support students in acquiring complex skills, provided they deliver appropriate instructional support, such as scaffolding. Few studies have examined whether the optimal level of scaffolding depends on the system's support for strategies familiar to the learner—a situation that often arises when students use software developed abroad or aligned with a different curriculum. The present study experimentally compared learning outcomes from two American tutoring systems, StoichTutor and ORCCA, which provide differing levels of scaffolding, in a German population. Prior research predicts that learners would benefit more from a system with flexible support of their native problem-solving approach but provides less scaffolding. To test this prediction, we conducted a crossover experiment involving 61 German undergraduates enrolled in remedial first-year university chemistry preparatory courses. Procedural and conceptual learning were evaluated alongside self-efficacy and usability perceptions. Both tutoring systems significantly promoted procedural learning. However, only the highly scaffolded tutoring system yielded significant conceptual learning gains. Log data analysis revealed that the highly scaffolded system provided more opportunities for students to practice and receive feedback on unit analysis and substance operations. These opportunities corresponded to condition-specific learning gain differences in the underlying conceptual skills. Students significantly preferred working with the highly scaffolded system. These findings suggest that highly scaffolded systems can improve conceptual understanding, even when learners are unfamiliar with the scaffolded strategy. The practical significance of this finding is that, adapting tutoring systems outside of the United States, language translation may suffice to benefit novice learners through scaffolded, adaptive instruction.