Gaining from explaining: Learning improves from explaining to fictitious others on video, not from writing to them

• Research demonstrated learning improved from explaining to fictitious others on video.
• We investigated whether writing explanations to others yielded the same benefits.
• Surprisingly, writing explanations was not more effective than restudy (Experiments 1 and 2).
• But explaining on video again resulted in better learning than restudy (Experiment 2).
• The effectiveness of video but not writing might result from feelings of social presence.

Two experiments investigated whether studying a text with an “explanation intention” and then actually explaining it to (fictitious) other students in writing, would yield the same benefits as previously found for explaining on video. Experiment 1 had participants first studying a text either with the intention to explain it to others or to complete a test, and subsequently restudying vs. explaining in writing. Neither study intention nor explaining affected learning outcomes. Experiment 2 directly compared explaining in writing and on video. Participants studied a text with a test intention followed by restudy, or study with an explanation intention followed by either explaining in writing or on video. Explaining on video, but not in writing, enhanced learning more than restudy. These findings suggest that the benefits of explaining on video are not a result of engaging in explanation per se. Results are discussed in light of feelings of social presence.