Causal Models in the Acquisition and Instruction of Programming Skills
Abstract
This research project investigates how an interactive learning environment supports students' learning and acquisition of mental models when acquiring a target cognitive skill. For this project, we constructed GIL, an intelligent tutoring system for LISP programming. We used GIL to conduct pedagogical experiments on skill acquisition. Two ways in which an interactive learning environment will facilitate acquisition of novel complex domains were studied. The first set of studies examines how graphical representations provide a representation more congruent with students' reasoning. The second set examines how explanatory feedback, generated from the system's problem-solving knowledge, facilitates students' learning. The experiments demonstrate that computer-based support helps students construct effective models for reasoning in complex domains.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA248761
Entities
People
- Brian J. Reiser
Organizations
- Princeton University