Ashok Patel (apatel.aqua@btinternet.com)
Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:47:05 +0100
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From: "Ashok Patel" <apatel.aqua@btinternet.com> Subject: RE: [ifets] Picking up on 'Play' Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:47:05 +0100
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Dear all
I would like share an experience of implementing ITS and
some concerns I have:
We have designed ITS that enables students to practice
solving numeric examples in a particular domain. The ITS
applies the knowledge of relationships in obtaining the
'Expert' solution as well as in guiding a student, and is
capable of randomly generating problems by picking some
of the variables and assigning random values within the
programmer specified bounds.
The ITS has been implemented at six institutions. At one
institution, a couple of students challenged each other
about how many problems each can generate and solve
within 45 minutes. Then the 'game' caught on and almost
all students in the cohort started 'playing' it and some other
students as well! (By the way, this readiness to solve
examples was unheard of previously in my and my colleagues'
academic life).
As some participants in the discussion have already noted,
any thing can be made a 'game' by those who play it.
I would like, however, to share some of my concerns:
1. When you are playing a competitive game as mentioned
above, do you put enough time and effort in reflection ?
2. When the outcome is the number of examples done
within a given time, students would develop the skills
of identifying 'data patterns' which would take longer
to solve for them as they might not be as strong in some
areas as others. Instead of struggling with the problem
to be able to fill in the gaps, they might just 'cut their
losses' and generate another example.
3. What especially bothers me is that in absence of adequate
reflection, there is a real possibility that the interface objects
are no longer viewed as a representation of some concepts
and are directly mapped within a 'visual' and syntactical form
of learning. I have found in actual experience that static
interfaces and simple 'correct/incorrect' feedback do encourage
a visual memory based learning (for different reasons) and though
the students perform brilliantly in tests using the same interface
they are reluctant to be tested on alternative mediums.
4. There has to be a 'diminishing returns' scenario so that the
game no longer adds to the knowledge is merely played for
'non-learning' satisfaction. Considering the continuously growing
body of knowledge in all fields of life, the concept of efficiency
of learning needs to be brought in somewhere.
My gut feeling is that 'play' is good for certain types of learning,
especially skills development, I might suggest. But it might not
provide a full solution!
Ashok Patel
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