Designing effective supports for causal reasoning

Jonassen, David H.; Ionas, Ioan Gelu

doi:10.1007/s11423-006-9021-6

Cited by 62 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Students in both conditions received the causal ER, which showed all relevant concepts, solutions and their causal interrelationships, providing students with multiple qualitative perspectives on the knowledge domain. It seems therefore important to recognize that causal reasoning is beneficial for complex learning-task performance (Jonassen and Ionas 2008). However, it does not completely explain the lack of differences.…”

Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here students might create a number of possible solutions and then reason about the advantages and disadvantages of each. The main advantage of these activities is that the solutions come in a rather straightforward, often causal, way from this which makes the completion-process more efficient and effective (e.g., Jonassen and Ionas 2008). The problem representation remains qualitative, but contains-along with the central concepts of the problem-causal information (i.e., if this, then that) which supports students in finding multiple solutions to the problem.…”

Section: Problem Phases and Their Part-task Demandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design and effects of representational scripting on group performance

Slof

Erkens

Kirschner

et al. 2010

Education Tech Research Dev

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This study investigated the effects of representational scripting on non-expert student learning while collaboratively carrying out complex learning-tasks. The premise underlying this research is that effective cognitive activities would be evoked when complex learning-tasks are structured into phase-related part-tasks and are supported by providing students with part-task-congruent external representations for each phase; representational scripting. It was hypothesized that this approach would lead to increased individual learning and better complex learning-task performance. In groups, 96 secondary education students worked on a complex business-economics problem in four experimental conditions, namely one condition in which the groups received representations that were part-task-congruent for all three phases and three conditions in which the groups received one of these representations for all three phases (i.e., part-task-incongruent for two of the three phases). The results indicate that groups receiving part-task-congruent representations in a phased order performed better on the complex learning-task, though this did not result in increased individual learning.

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Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Problem Phases and Their Part-task Demandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and effects of representational scripting on group performance

Slof

Erkens

Kirschner

et al. 2010

Education Tech Research Dev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Causality that implies cause and effect binds together reasoning processes that are common to all disciplines, including making predictions, drawing implications, making inferences, and articulating explanations (Jonassen, 2013;Jonassen & Ionas, 2008). Problem solvers must develop an understanding of the causal relationships that comprise the problem space for any problem (Jonassen, 2013;Jonassen & Hung, 2006).…”

Section: Reasoning Causallymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Problem solvers must develop an understanding of the causal relationships that comprise the problem space for any problem (Jonassen, 2013;Jonassen & Hung, 2006). To enhance causal reasoning, influence diagrams, question prompts, simulations and modelling tools can be used (Jonassen, 2013;Jonassen & Ionas, 2008).…”

Section: Reasoning Causallymentioning

confidence: 99%

Problem-Solving Strategies Among Culinary Arts Students in Community Colleges

Techanamurthy

Alias

DeWitt

2018

JTET

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“…Causal reasoning is also fundamental to mathematics. According to Jonassen and Ionas (2008), it is one of the most basic and important cognitive processes in developing conceptual understanding and problem solving. The game-based learning environment presented here targets arithmetic understanding and casual reasoning and is designed to be appropriate for young primary school children.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Teachable Agent Game Engaging Primary School Children to Learn Arithmetic Concepts and Reasoning

Pareto

2014

Int J Artif Intell Educ

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In this paper we will describe a learning environment designed to foster conceptual understanding and reasoning in mathematics among younger school children. The learning environment consists of 48 2-player game variants based on a graphical model of arithmetic where the mathematical content is intrinsically interwoven with the game idea. The environment also features teachable agents, which are computer programs that can be taught and behave according to their knowledge. Thus, the environment provides both learning-by-doing (playing the game) and learning-byteaching (teaching the agent to play). It differs from other learning-by-teaching systems 1) by targeting basic mathematics and primary grade students; 2) by using teachable agents as an extension to educational games in order to leverage engagement, reflection and learning; and 3) by using an agent-driven question dialogue to challenge students' mathematical thinking, to role-model learner behaviour and to transfer game knowledge to out-of-game mathematics. The teachable agent game is described and evaluated in an authentic classroom study enrolling 443 students from 22 classes in 9 schools. Students range from 2 nd to 6 th grade of mainstream classes and 7 th to 8 th grade for students with difficulties in mathematics. Part of the study was designed as a quasiexperimental study with controls; part was designed to examine students' change in mental models of arithmetic before and after game play. All students took pre-and post mathematics tests. The 314 playing students used the game and taught their agents during regular math-classes for three months, whereas the control classes attended standard instruction and took the tests. A questionnaire was distributed at the end of the study to investigate students' perceptions and performances of the agent-tutoring task. Results show that 1) there is a significant learning gain for playing students compared to controls, 2) the learning environment can engage children in advanced mathematical thinking in early education, 3) young primary students can act as successful tutors. Thus, we conclude that teachable agents in educational games can help achieve deeper levels of learning that transfer outside the game. This idea combines the motivational power of games with the reflective power of a teachable agent asking thoughprovoking, deep questions on the learning material during game play.

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Designing effective supports for causal reasoning

Cited by 62 publications

References 35 publications

Design and effects of representational scripting on group performance

Design and effects of representational scripting on group performance

Problem-Solving Strategies Among Culinary Arts Students in Community Colleges

A Teachable Agent Game Engaging Primary School Children to Learn Arithmetic Concepts and Reasoning

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