This systematic review examines how instructional materials that embed errors (so-called “erroneous examples”) or juxtapose incorrect and correct solutions (“contrasting erroneous examples”) can influence student learning across a variety of domains (mathematics, medicine, science). The authors reviewed 40 studies and found that these approaches can enhance learning — especially by helping students grasp both what not to do (negative knowledge) and what to do (positive knowledge) — but the benefits depend strongly on how the errors are used, what scaffolding (prompts, feedback) is provided, how complex the task is, and how much prior knowledge the learner has.
Apply this in your courses:
- Use error-embedded examples when you want students to recognise common misconceptions or faulty procedures.
- Pair them with strong prompts (e.g., “Why is this step wrong?” “How would you fix it?”) and/or feedback explaining why the error occured.
- Be careful with complexity: ensure the task is appropriate for students’ level, and avoid overwhelming novices.
- Consider alternating or fading into error-analysis as students gain expertise.
- Monitor cognitive load.
Read the full article online:
Dieterich, S., Rumann, S., & Rodemer, M. (2025). Conditions for effective learning from erroneous examples: A systematic review. Educational Psychology Review, 37(4), 94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10071-x