An Overview of 4 Theories for T

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An Overview of 4 Theories for TL of Computing

• W.KI

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What is the basic ideas of task analysis and
learning hierarchy? How can it be applied to the
teaching of computing? ________________ What
constitute the expertise of programming? 1. 2.
______ 3. ______ 4. ______
Carry out a task analysis on a simple programming
problem http//curs2.hku.hk/kiww/major/psy1f.htm
Do you see the 4 kinds of knowledge?
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About understanding
A natural tendency for human to relate parts
into a meaningful whole. Gestalt
psychology "Aha, I  understand now!". The feeling
comes when all the pieces can be jointed to form
a holistic picture.
But the problem is that different persons
perceive differently The person is actively
perceiving the environment encoding, interpreting
the environment, constructing their own internal
/ mental representation, with certain elaboration
/ omission / transformation, depending on his/her
prior knowledge and the way that the information
is presented
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Teaching student a short program segment of three
steps 1. Copy the value of cell B to cell A 2.
Copy the value of cell C to cell B 3. Copy the
value of cell A to cell C T lets dry run the
program and see the result Following is a dry
run table
T so now you understand it is a program to
exchange the content of the values of the cells B
C
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T So with the highlighting on the flow of data,
The conclusion will still be true for other
initial values of B C

• Or we start first by bring out the organizing
  concept
• (Advanced Organizer)
• T Try the following steps.
• Copy the content of Cell A to Cell B
• Copy the content of Cell B to Cell A
• Do you think you can swap the contents of the
  cell A and B with these steps?

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Or even use an analogical model to present the
overarching idea before you move into the
technical details (Mental Model)
T So we have a difficulty here. Now think
about an analogical scenario. You have a
glass of orange juice and a glass of lemon juice,
How can you swap the content between the
two glass? Can we make use of another spare
glass? What is the method?
For the successful teaching of X, The
identification of the pre-X , the advanced
organizing concept is usually very important
(conceptual analysis) More example E.G.
Xbranching, what is the pre-X? ________
E.G. Xprocedure, what is the pre-X? ________
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The use of Mental model. "If the organism
carries a small-scale model of external reality
and of its possible actions within its head, it
is able to try out various alternatives,
conclude and react to future situations before
they arise..." (Kennth Craik 1943)
It is important to design enactive models for
novice programmer to visualize / try out their
ideas And obtain comprehensible feedback. Because
most computer programming environments do not
provide very safe ground for exploring immature
ideas.
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(J.S.Bruner 1966) The different modes of
representation of knowledge Enactive, Iconic,
Symbolic
This is an algorithm for sortingWhat is the mode
of representation? FOR I 1 to 4 FOR J 1
to 4-I If AJgtAJ1 then
swap the content of AJ and
AJ1 NEXT J NEXTI
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Do you see any problem with this enactive model?
Correspondence is the first requirement! (I.e.
whether the model and the target domain work
under the same principle)
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• Try to do these procedures (amended version)
• 1. Turn the cards to face downward
• A student compare the first two cards,
• swap them if necessaryso that the left one
  is small and the right one is large
• A new student works on the cards in the 2nd 3rd
  positions
• Then a new student proceed to work the 3rd and
  4th positions
• Another new student proceed to the 4th and 5th
  positions
• Open the last card after all these procedures
• Randomize the cards and try the procedure again.
• Do you get the same result? Explain why?

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T Now instead of randomizing the cards after you
finish, You try to do a second round. S
There is in fact no need to compare the last two
cards! T OK, do one less then. TWhat would you
expect to get in the end?
T Can you then think of a systematic method
for sorting all the five cards?
T will the method guarantee correct result for
different possible cases? (concept of algorithm)
T Can you write down you method in some form?
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iconic
Symbolic (pseudo code)
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Mental model and enactive models can be very
helpful in teaching the ideas of the computing
methods before going Into the details. But to be
successful the model must be ___________________
____ and the teacher must provide opportunity
for_______________________
Mental model can also be helpful in teaching the
use of software. (C.f. D.Norman emphasis on
conceptual model)
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What if there is no available model that match?
Then the learner has to directly confront the
object of learning. According to the variation
theory of learning, (F.Marton),learning begins
from the level where the learner is able to
directly interact with the phenomenon, and
effective way of seeing the phenomenon can be
developed if the learner can experience important
variations of that phenomenon.
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For example Within the context of the whole
program, you vary its elements and see how it
changes the behavior of the whole program. In so
doing you develop from a fussy to a refined
understanding about the program What elements
are there and how they relate to each other But
the Variation should be done in context (not
losing the whole) Because an accumulation is
an accumulation not only if it has a certain
internal structure of AAB. It also depends on
its external linkage, I.e. what A, and B are in
the whole program.
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Variation Theory of learning and theTheory of
Minimalist Instruction (J. M. Caroll)

• Point of departure How to write effective
  tutorial?
• Through observe users he arrives at ideas
• To resolve the paradox of
• (a) Want to act ASAP
• (b) The need to learn
• Called a minimalist approach to instruction

4 Basic principle and associated heuristics for
Minimalist instruction.
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1. Choose an action-oriented approach

• They primarily want to do things!
• Provide an immediate opportunity to act
• vs semantically-oriented or system approach
• Begin early with a simple but realistic activity,
• and provide direct access to the things
• Encourage and support exploration and innovation
• Users are encouraged to explore/extend along
  some lines
• variation theory Just imagine you follow
  closely every instruction in a step-by-step
  MsAccess book until you get the complete final
  product up running. Any comment?
• Tell learner how to evaluate their result
• Tell learner other possible solution after finish

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2. Anchor the tool in the task domain

• They are not primarily interested in the tool
• Select or design activities that are real tasks
• simple and modest but real achievement
• example changing the ringing signal of a mobile
• example Seeing a simple game program running,
  but with an obvious bug (amend, debug vs writing
  from scratch)
• example Use a template for quick production of
  document, before further modification.
• The text is structured according to the logic of
  the task structure
• use sub-task names as heading of text sections
• example create a student list vs create a
  datafile

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3. Support error recognition and recovery

• Absolute no. 1 in all design
• Usability testing very important
• Prevent mistakes whenever possible
• Must provide explanation if
• The system actually bases on a model that
  conflicts with commonsense model in the task
  domain
• Provide information that support detection,
  diagnosis and recovery
• Use error for learning

4. Support reading to do, study and locate
Be brief dont spell out everything Provide
closure for chapters
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conclusion

• How would you apply all these theories to design
  an instruction about the use of FLASH 5 ?