Assessing creative problem-solving with automated text grading

The work aims to improve the assessment of creative problem-solving in science education by employing language technologies and computational–statistical machine learning methods to grade students’ natural language responses automatically. To evaluate constructs like creative problem-solving with validity, open-ended questions that elicit students’ constructed responses are beneficial. But the high cost required in manually grading constructed responses could become an obstacle in applying open-ended questions. In this study, automated grading schemes have been developed and evaluated in the context of secondary Earth science education. Empirical evaluations revealed that the automated grading schemes may reliably identify domain concepts embedded in students’ natural language responses with satisfactory inter-coder agreement against human coding in two sub-tasks of the test (Cohen’s Kappa = .65–.72). And when a single holistic score was computed for each student, machine-generated scores achieved high inter-rater reliability against human grading (Pearson’s r = .92). The reliable performance in automatic concept identification and numeric grading demonstrates the potential of using automated grading to support the use of open-ended questions in science assessments and enable new technologies for science learning.     

Choosing the parameter of a modified additive-averaged splitting algorithm

The problem-solving time and the solution accuracy are expressed as functions of a parameter. An optimization problem of choosing the parameter using a “time cost–solution accuracy” criterion is considered. A Pareto-optimal set of solutions is obtained. The best value of the parameter is chosen by the ideal-point method. Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 4, pp. 98–105, July–August 2009.     

Instructing students on effective sequences of examples and problems: Does self-regulated learning improve from knowing what works and why?

Nowadays, students often practice problem-solving skills in online learning environments with the help of examples and problems. This requires them to self-regulate their learning. It is questionable how novices self-regulate their learning from examples and problems and whether they need support. The present study investigated the open questions (1) to what extent students' (novices) task selections align with instructional design principles and (2) whether informing them about these principles would improve their task selections, learning outcomes, and motivation. Higher education students (N = 150) learned a problem-solving procedure by fixed sequences of examples and problems (FS-condition), or by self-regulated learning (SRL). The SRL participants selected tasks from a database, varying in format, complexity, and cover story, either with (ISRL-condition) or without (SRL-condition) watching a video detailing the instructional design principles. Students' task-selection patterns in both SRL conditions largely corresponded to the principles, although tasks were built up in complexity more often in the ISRL-condition than in the SRL-condition. Moreover, there was still room for improvement in students' task selections after solving practice problems. The video instruction helped students to better apply certain principles, but did not enhance learning and motivation. Finally, there were no test performance or motivational differences among conditions. Although these findings might suggest it is relatively ‘safe’ to allow students to independently start learning new problems-solving tasks using examples and problems, caution is warranted: It is unclear whether these findings generalize to other student populations, as the students participating in this study have had some experience with similar tasks or learning with examples. Moreover, as there was still room for improvement in students' task selections, follow-up research should investigate how we can further improve self-regulated learning from examples and practice problems.     

On learning and development, Piagetian style: I. A reply to Lefebvre-Pinard.

Examines the equilibration theory of Piaget (learning vs development, stage transitions) to make more explicit the methodological foundations of B. Inhelder et al (1974). In this connection, the "problem-solving" learning method used by these authors is analyzed by means of the new concept of "learning loops." Similarly, the successful equilibration learning method used by M. Lefebvre and A. Pinard (1974) is analyzed and shown to involve executive facilitation and chunking (coordination) of 2 crucial schemes. A process-structural model of conservation acquisition previously developed by the present author, and its empirical tests by R. Case (1975) and by G. M. Parkinson (1975), are used to illustrate and to empirically support the process-structural differences theoretically found between these 2 equilibration methods. (54 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

DIDS: rapidly prototyping configuration design systems

The domain independent design system (DIDS) provides a set of tools for rapidly constructing new configuration design systems from a library of reusable software elements called mechanisms. A DIDS user begins by creating a model of the problem domain and the task to be automated. This includes describing a library of parts from which new artifacts could be configured, optimization and preference criteria, and functionality constraints. DIDS analyzes this input and automatically builds an operational prototype system by selecting and combining mechanisms. DIDS' ability to automate this process is derived from its model of configuration design, which enables reusable mechanisms to be identified and automatically selected based on a problem's characteristics. The use of DIDS is illustrated by showing how DIDS solved an elevator-configuration problem.     

“最近发展区”理论在C程序设计教学中的应用

首先指出"最近发展区"理论的内涵;然后探讨该理论与"问题解决"教学方法之间的关系以及实施要点;最后在"最近发展区"理论指导下,运用"问题解决"教学方法,围绕C程序设计课程中的一项重点及难点内容——数组及排序问题,设计了一份教学过程计划方案。     

高中化学填空题解题策略思考

高中化学填空题具有知识覆盖面广、涉及内容多、灵活性较大的特点,它是考试题目的重要组成部分,能比较全面地检查学生基础知识的理解和掌握情况,考查学生审题和分析解决问题的能力,训练学生判断、推理和逻辑思维的能力。文章在举例并加以阐释的基础上,提出了夯实基础、细审题目、理清概念、创新思维、规范表达是正确解答化学填空题的重要途径。     

质量工具“七钻流程”的应用及案例分析

介绍了在进行问题解决时使用的质量工具"七钻流程"包含的内容及应用,通过实例阐述了利用"七钻"进行问题解决各个步骤的详细应用。     

重在创造力培养的生物技术专业英语教学实践

针对生物技术专业英语教学的现状和特点,综合运用当代教育心理学的学习理论和创造思维理论,通过教学实践,对本科和研究生生物技术专业英语的教学方法进行了多方面探讨,提出了强调问题解决学习方式的整合教学策略。