Skip to main content

Example explanation in learning environments

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS 1996)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1086))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

This paper describes the design and use of an example explanation module embedded in an ITS that teaches the programming language LISP to novices. When examples are provided to support a learning process it is likely that students find it difficult to understand or to interpret them. By explaining examples these problems are reduced and give the students better insights into the problem solving domain as the explanation also serves as a positive instance to self-explanations. Problems, possible solutions, and advantages of providing examples with explanations are described to point out the importance of providing examples added with explanations in an intelligent learning environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Boyle, T., Gray, J., Wendl, B., & Davies, M. (1994). Taking the plunge with CLEM: the design and evaluation of a large scale CAL system. Computers and Education, 22, 19–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brusilovsky, P. (1992). Intelligent tutor, environment, and manual for introductory programming. Educational and Training Technology International, 29, 26–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chi, M. T. H., Bassok, M., Lewis, M., Reimann, P., & Glaser, R. (1989). Self-explanations: How students study and use examples in learning to solve problems. Cognitive Science, 13, 145–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentner, D. (1983). Structure mapping: A theoretical framework for analogy. Cognitive Science, 7, 155–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holyoak, K. J. & Thagard, P. (1989). Analogical mapping by constraint satisfaction. Cognitive Science, 13, 295–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linn, M. C. (1992). How can hypermedia tools help teaching programming. Learning and Instruction, 2, 119–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novick, L. R. & Holyoak, K. J. (1991). Mathematical problem solving by analogy. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 17, 398–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirolli, P. (1991). Effects of examples and their explanations in a lesson on recursion: A production system analysis. Cognition and Instruction, 8, 207–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirolli, P. & Bielaczyc, K. (1989). Empirical analyses of self-explanation and transfer in learning to program. Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 450–457). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramadhan, H. & du Boulay, B. (1993). Programming environments for novices. In E. Lemut, B. du Boulay, & G. Dettori (Ed.), Cognitive models and intelligent environments for learning programming (pp. 125–134). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, S. K. & Bolstad, C. A. (1991). Use of examples and procedures in problem solving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 17, 753–766.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, G. (1996). Episodic learner modeling. Cognitive Science, 20, (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, G. (in press). Individual selection of examples in an intelligent programming environment. Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, G. & Möllenberg, A. (1994). ELM-PE: A knowledge-based programming environment for learning LISP. In T. Ottmann & I. Tomek (Eds.), Proceedings of ED-MEDIA '94 (pp. 557–562). Charlottesville, VA: AACE.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Claude Frasson Gilles Gauthier Alan Lesgold

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Burow, R., Weber, G. (1996). Example explanation in learning environments. In: Frasson, C., Gauthier, G., Lesgold, A. (eds) Intelligent Tutoring Systems. ITS 1996. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1086. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-61327-7_144

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-61327-7_144

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-61327-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-68460-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics