Heinz Mandl

1 Problems in Knowledge Acquisition from Text and Pictures

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses about problems in knowledge acquisition from text and pictures. Texts and pictures can be regarded as media as they visualize parts of reality, which are not immediately present or accessible in ones direct experience. The original pictograms to the phonetic alphabet pass through several intermediate phases—like, the Egyptian hieroglyphics, where illustrations and texts still coincide. This connection between text and pictures finds structural expression in the organization of the brain. The largest part of text-picture investigations concerns didactic texts with illustrations. Many of the considerations and findings are also valid for other text–picture combinations, such as slide-shows, audiovisual shows, film, and video. Mental models seem to offer a means of mediation between the different forms of knowledge. A mental model is the representation of a limited area of reality in a format which permits the internal simulation of external processes, so that conclusions can be drawn and predictions are made.

Structural Inferences in Reading and Listening

Abstract Cognitive processing of instructional texts places special demands upon the recipient. The thematic macrostructure must be extracted through the formation of structural inferences. It is assumed that the formation of such structural inferences in listening to or reading an instructional text can be promoted differently due to the differences in the prerequisites for perception. An experimental study examined the effect of text accentuation measures upon the promotion of structural inferences. The effect of two variables was analysed: The original version of an instructional text from the Funkkolleg “The law” was compared against the same version in which the text - immanent macrostructure was highlighted with the aid of a signaling method. Both text versions were presented visually and orally. The promoting effect of the text accentuating measures was examined in terms of a presentation modus. Generally it was demonstrated that processing performance with written texts was significantly greater than with oral texts. The results specifically point out that signaling when used in texts for reading has a greater promoting effect than when used in texts for listening. The results suggest that the possibilities for the utilization of such structural aids as signaling with regard to listening are more limited or at least are different than on reading. The results make it obvious that when producing “written texts for reading” and “written texts for listening” one has to take into account the specific perception prerequisites for oral or visual presentation.

Effects of Elaboration on Recall of Texts

Elaboration processes are an important component in any theory of comprehension. Their quantitative investigation and qualitative categorization, however, present us with a number of methodological difficulties. In a preliminary investigation it could be shown that elaborative processes can be influenced by task orientation. The data also indicate an inverted u-shaped relationship between the number of elaborations and recall performance: A subject who elaborates very little and one who elaborates a great deal both perforin less well than a subject with an average number of elaborations.

Improvement of the acquisition of knowledge by informing feedback

There is practically no recognized learning theory that neglects the role of feedback for acquisition of skill and knowledge. Any kind of human or animal learning depends on the shaping of behavior, especially the selection of appropriate behaviors necessary for any skilled, goal-directed behavior. The consequences and effects of an action determine whether a sequence of actions or operations becomes integrated into the evolving skill, the skill endowment or repertoire of the organism. Operations most likely to achieve this goal must be adopted and routinized by any organism in order to ensure survival. Feedback about the success (instrumentality) of a behavior or cognitive operation is information about the calibration and refinement necessary for the regulation of actions. “Learning by success” is synonymous for all learning that is regulated by its own outcome.

Metacognitive Regulation of Text Processing: Aspects and Problems Concerning the Relation Between Self-Statements and Actual Performance

Current models of metacognitive or executive action regulation are based upon the assumption of the psychological reality of some central processing unit controlling cognitive ‘routines’. The current approach questions the homogeneity and consistency of this notion by showing that there are at least two concepts of executive regulation, a competence and a performance centered paradigm, which largely differ with regard to the predictions they allow. The theoretical inconsistencies are further emphasized in light of empirical data.

Knowledge acquisition by computerized audiovisual feedback

The present article gives an outline of the state of art in computer assisted intervention by learning-concomitant differential feedback. Based on the spectrum of possible meanings and interpretations given to the concepts ‘interaction’ and ‘interactive’ this concept is elaborated and illustrated by prototypical theoretical approaches. Based on our own empirical findings arguments are given showing that sophisticated audiovisual interactive new technologies can properly be used even on the small machines available in schools if the content materials and the flow of control given to the learner are carefully designed and based on principles of cognitive science.RésuméCet article présente d’abord un résumé de l’état de l’art sur le rôle de l’information en retour différenciée et concomitante dans l’apprentissage assisté par ordinateur. Cette notion d’information en retour est ensuite élaborée par référence aux significations possibles des concepts d «interaction» et d«interactif» et des interprétations qui en sont données avant d’être illustrée par des approches théoriques prototypiques. A partir des résultats expérimentaux que nous avons obtenus, nous développons une argumentation selon laquelle les nouvelles technologies audio-visuelles interactives sophistiquées peuvent être utilisées avec profit, même avec les ordinateurs de faible capacité disponibles dans les écoles, à la condition que les matériels pédagogiques et les possibilités de contrôle de l’élève sur l’apprentissage soient conçus avec soin et qu’ils obéissent aux principes issus de la science cognitive.

Knowledge Acquisition from Text: Introduction

Knowledgeacquisition from text has become a central field ofresearchduring the past years. The significance of this research is easily recognizable. There is virtually no sector within our educational system wherein learning with texts does not play an important role. In cognitive psychology, progress in the study of representation of knowledge in memory has allowed psychologists to tackle semantic information processing and to study text comprehension and memorization (Kintsch, 1974; Frederiksen, 1975; Le Ny, 1979). At first, this study was essentially limited to narrative texts but has since broadened to cover other types of texts: argumentative, descriptive, procedural and explicative (Denhiere, 1984; Mandl, Stein & Trabasso, 1983). In this recent work, the study of text comprehension and memorization has focused on knowledge acquisition from text (Denhiere & Baudet, 1988; Kintsch, 1986; Mandl & Levin, 1988). The psychological study of knowledge acquisition from text necessarily requires:

Computer-Based Learning Environment and Automatic Diagnosis System for Superposition of Motion

In the context of a computer-based learning environment on superposition of motion, an automatic diagnosis system on knowledge acquisition and on misconceptions was developed. The learning environment is designed according to the principle of inductive learning. It consists of a sequence of sixty similar tasks increasing in task demand and tutorial measures, involving simulations of the physical phenomenon. The diagnosis system is enabled to generate automatically both the correct solution and incorrect solutions which are based on the learner’s possible misconceptions. It compares these solutions with the learner’s actual solution and thus infers on his or her respective conceptual knowledge. The diagnosis system is rule-based and implemented as a classifier system. It uses both a strengthening algorithm and a discrimination algorithm. Learning environment and diagnosis system are implemented in LOOPS on a Xerox 1108 workstation.

Knowledge Modification During Reading

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the Heidel berger- Struktur-Lege-Technik (SLT), which is used successfully to assess complex processes of concept building in comprehension of instructional texts. The chapter examines the concept alterations occurring with a segmented factual text containing contextual dissonance. Structure formation technique (SFT) offers simpler connections for inter-conceptual relations that are based on available model of empirical psychology. Two objections can be made. The methodological thinking of the empirical social scientist does not correspond to the thinking of a novice, and the inter-conceptual relations are too simple to represent complex knowledge. Concerning the quality of relations and the handling of the procedure, several improvements are necessary to optimize the method for individual knowledge diagnosis.

Knowledge Psychology as a Basis of Intelligent Tutoring Systems

The aims of this contribution are to reveal the relevance of research done in Knowledge Psychology for the development of Intelligent Tutoring Systems and to illustrate this with research projects supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the research program “Knowledge Psychology” (c.f. Mandl & Spada, 1984).