dynamically altering the learning trajectories of novices with pedagogical agents carole r. beal,...
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Dynamically altering the learning trajectories of novices with pedagogical
agents
Carole R. Beal, USCRonald H. Stevens, UCLA
Cognition & Student Learning R305H050052
Project focus: Scientific problem solving
• Learning to do science– hypothesis generation– effective use of resources &
content knowledge– strategy selection &
progress checking• Skills apply across science
domains– “Investigation &
experimentation” in CA standards
• Stevens et al. developed IMMEX to provide problem solving practice opportunities
IMMEX: Online multimedia problem solving
environment providing simulations of case-type
scientific problems
www.immex.ucla.edu
Ron Stevens
IMMEX example: Duck Run
• Domain: Chemistry• Goal: Identify element
dumped in pond• Available resources:
– Experts– Characteristics – Periodic table– Glossary
• Multiple cases
IMMEX: Strategy assessment
• Solution strategies:– searching resources– balancing cost of search
& info. value, time• Students’ actions
classified by ANN– “nodes” represent:
• what problem resources are viewed
• relation with solve rates
8% of casesstudents look at all
resources solve rate only 47%
Stevens et al. (1999). Artificial neural network-based performanceassessments. Computers in Human Behavior, 15, 295-314.
Duck Run
IMMEX: Prior work on problem solving strategies
• Stabilization– approaches tend to persist
over time– case repetition does not
always lead to improved performance
• Student strategies related to teacher implementation– better performance with
teachers who “frame” activity well
• PedAgents goal: Enhance IMMEX to encourage good strategies
“red” teacher’s students using resources well & solving problems
Stevens, R. H., & Thadani, V. (2007). A value-based approach for quantifying scientific problem solving effectiveness. Journal of Technology, Instruction, Cognition & Learning, 5, 325-337.
PedAgents: Strategy intervention
• Integrate strategy guidance into case prologues
– e.g., “Sometimes students just dive in to a problem and try out lots of different things. But it’s better to make sure you know what the problem is asking first. If you don’t, go back and read the prologue again, or ask your teacher for
help.”
• Prologues also address motivational issues– e.g., “Sometimes, students give up too
fast on IMMEX problems. They think the answer should come in just a couple of minutes. But hard problems take a lot of mental effort. Stick with it and you’ll see results!”
• Prologues are not content-specific– delivered randomly across
cases
strategysuggestion delivered
at prologue
PedAgents: Strategy intervention
• Epilogues encourage self-reflection & strategy review:
– e.g., “Look at your notes for this case. Are they organized? Can you see the path you took to get to your answer? If not, can you think of one or two ways of making them more organized? (If you didn’t take notes, take them – it will help!)”
• Epilogues also target motivational issues in problem solving:
– e.g., “Sometimes students get discouraged by this case. If you solved it, that’s great! If you didn’t, don’t be too hard on yourself. You can learn even when you don’t get the right answer. Make failure work for you by figuring out what to do differently next time.” strategy hint also
delivered at caseepilogue
PedAgents: Intervention results
• Improved first-try solve rates: from 64% to 75%
• Reduction in never-solved cases
• Higher IRT scores across five cases
• Decrease in use of “exhaustive” strategies– students who still look at
all resources more likely to solve
– hints may be promoting better integration of information
decrease to 4.5%of cases; solve rate increases
to 61%
Duck Run
PedAgents: Interventions
• Message content is key– Prior study showed generic academic
advice messages were not helpful: • e.g., “Successful students use a planner to
keep track of notes and assignments” • “It’s a good idea to keep up with your
class reading. Don’t let yourself get too far behind!”
• Current study: Role of message delivery– Text messages compared with animated
agents– Human or non-human agent characters
• e.g., teacher or duck
Next steps
• Goal: integrate strategy guidance into complete IMMEX middle school curriculum– earth, life & physical
sciences– match message content
with cases• e.g., link motivation-
oriented messages with more difficult cases
– support for effective implementation by teachers
“Phyto Phiasco”
“Get organized”
“dashboard” forteachers to trackstudent progress