Instructional scaffolding for problem solving and design · TOOL5100: Scaffolding Critiquing systems • A computer aided critiquing system analyzes intermediate design solutions

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

1/24

TOOL5100: Scaffolding

Instructional scaffolding forproblem solving and design

Anders MørchTOOL 5100

University of Oslo, 17.09.2009

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

2/24


Two articles• Wood, D., Bruner, J.S. & Ross, G. (1976). The

role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal ofChild Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, 89-100.

• Oh, Y., Gross, M.D. & Do, E. Y.-L. (2008).Computer-aided critiquing systems: Lessonslearned and new research directions.Proceedings Computer Aided ArchitecturalDesign and Research in Asia (CAADRIA).Chiang Mai, Thailand, pp. 161-167.

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

3/24


What they have in common• One article about human tutoring as an

extension of Vygotsky ZPD and withimplications for computer support

• The other article is about computer-aidedcritiquing systems modeled after how expertdesigners critique novice designers’ work inprogress

• Both develop notions of “scaffolding,” thesecond by constructive feedback / critique

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

4/24


Differences• Associated with the difference between

problem solving and design– Problem solving is goal-oriented with tasks that

define sub-goals, often one best solution/goal– Design is “open ended” problem solving, with

multiple alternative solutions that are “better orworse” with respect to some reference criteria,rather than well defined goals

– They converge in children's construction kits withone right solution for assembly (like the buildingblock kit used in the first paper)

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

5/24


Building block kit for 3-5 yr olds

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

6/24


Construction kit

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

7/24


Design environment

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

8/24


3D design environment

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

9/24


Collaborative design of UML diagrams

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

10/24


Scaffold, dictionary def

Example usage: The scaffolding must be removed once the house is built.

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

11/24


Instructional scaffolding• Bruner et al:• “To enable a child or novice to solve a problem,

carry out a task or achieve a goal that would bebeyond his unaided performance”

• “Scaffolding is accomplished by an adult ormore capable peer controlling those elements ofthe task that are initially beyond the learner’scapacity”

• It acts like individualized feedback from theenvironment, supporting the learner to progress

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

12/24


Task• Discovery learning with a a collection of

wooden building blocks• Need to take into account both “blind”

(serendipitous) action and the more rigidinstruction rules followed by the tutor

• The tutor provides scaffolding during thebuilding and learning processes, sometimesbeing there and sometimes fading away tosupport the learner’s gradual development

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

13/24


Types of feedback by tutor• Showing

– Direct intervention (giving example)

• Telling– A verbal error prompt (correction, critiquing)– Verbal attempt to make child to make more

constructions (direction and reminder)

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

14/24


Experiment with children• The paper describes an experiment with

children aged 3, 4, and 5 years• They interact with a human tutor (adult) who

helps them build a pyramid out of the basicbuilding blocks (shown in foil 5)

• Data is categorized according to the threetypes of scaffolds and compared across agegroups

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

15/24


Results

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

16/24


Results cont’d• 3 year olds learn less from telling (ignore them)

than from showing (demonstration), 4 yearsare more explorative and verbal and learnsalso from telling (verbal correction anddirection), whereas 5 year olds are moreindependent and need less feedback, theylearn from telling, especially confirmation orchecking of constructions

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

17/24


Implications for computer support

• According to Bruner et al a, good tutor makeshypotheses about the learner’s hypothesis

• This is a dynamic process, which is importantfor successful tutoring

• Bruner et al suggest a “task model” and a“learner model” to be part of a “computertutor” to perform at the level of a human tutor

• More about “intelligent tutoring systems” inthe lecture on 08.10.2009. ITS is a type ofeducational technology using AI techniques

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

18/24


The scaffolding process• Recruitment (engagement, motivation)• Reduction in degrees of freedom• Direction maintenance• Marking critical features (identify ZPD)• Frustration control• Demonstration (showing)

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

19/24


Computer-aided critiquing• Critiquing systems are less stringent compared

to “computer tutors”, regarding modeling tasksand students’ progress

• The “goal” is to design something, which ischaracterized by open-ended, “good enough,”solutions, except for simple design problems

• Individualized feedback are important tocomputer tutors and critics to both motivatethe learner and to fill the ZPD with right chunk

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

20/24


Critiquing systems• A computer aided critiquing system analyzes

intermediate design solutions and providesfeedback on the design, according to Oh et al.

• Modeled after how a design studio “teacherobserves students’ progress by looking attheir drawings and listening to theirdescriptions of their design”

• Automated critiquing systems have been builtto support novice designers in many domains

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

21/24


Aspects of critiquing• Critiquing process

– Action-breakdown-repair (Schön, 1983; Fischer etal. 1991)

– Advice-improve (Robbins, 1998)– Construct-parse-check-critique-maintain (Oh et al.,

2004)

• Critiquing rules– Condition-action rules to identify suboptimal designs

• Intervention techniques– Timing of feedback: proactive, reactive, and latent

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

22/24


Janus construction: A critic for kitchen design

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

23/24


Janus-viewpoints: Argumentation

Lecture 3, 17.09.2009

24/24


Open issues for discussion• In what ways will a computer-based

tutor/critic fall short of being a human-liketutor (e.g. during what kind of tutoring will thesystem reveal itself)?

• In what ways will a computer-basedtutor/critic compare to (or even outperform) ahuman tutor?

• How is the scaffolding process similar to (ordifferent from) instructional scaffolding whenthe learners are not children (ref. F4 lecture)?

Documents

Instructional scaffolding for problem solving and design · TOOL5100: Scaffolding Critiquing systems • A computer aided critiquing system analyzes intermediate design solutions