What matters in help-seeking? A study of help effectiveness and learner-related factors

Offering help functions is a standard feature of computer-based interactive learning environments (ILEs). Nevertheless, the effectiveness of learners’ use of help facilities has been subject to extensive debate. Recent research indicates an inefficient use or even ignorance of help functions. This article addresses the issues of effectiveness of help and the impact of learner-related factors in an ILE for plant identification. Students from three regular university courses in plant identification worked in a dyadic setting. The effects of two different types of help facilities (context-sensitive help and glossary function) on task performance in plant identification are analyzed. In addition, a broad set of potential learner-related factors is explored with respect to their effects on help-seeking, including prior knowledge, motivational orientation, interest, self-estimated competence, and epistemological beliefs. Results yield a positive effect of help-seeking on task performance. In addition, most learner-related factors affect help-seeking behavior and performance. Results are discussed with respect to their implications for future research on help-seeking in ILEs.