Effects of multiple solution methods in mathematics learning

Most mathematical problems can be solved using different methods. We tested the effectiveness of presenting more than one solution method by means of worked-out examples. In Experiment 1, a 2 × 3-factorial design was implemented (“multiple solutions”: multiple/uniform; “instructional support”: none/self-explanations/instructional explanations). Multiple solutions fostered learning. However, no positive effect was found for instructional support. In Experiment 2, effects of varying the representational code of solutions were studied, using three conditions (multiple solutions with multiple representations; multiple solutions sharing one representation; uniform solution). No effect of multiple solutions on learning was found. They even reduced some important spontaneous learning activities. Further research should focus on the context conditions under which multiple solutions are effective.