Many educational data mining studies have explored methods for discovering cognitive models and have emphasized improving prediction accuracy. Too few studies have "closed the loop" by applying discovered models toward improving instruction and testing whether proposed improvements achieve higher student outcomes. We claim that such…

Math and science textbook chapters invariably supply students with sets of problems to solve, but this widely used approach is not optimal for learning; instead, more effective learning can be achieved when many problems to solve are replaced with correct and incorrect worked examples for students to study and explain. In the present study, the…

Math and science textbook chapters invariably supply students with sets of problems to solve, but this widely used approach is not optimal for learning; instead, more effective learning can be achieved when many problems to solve are replaced with correct and incorrect worked examples for students to study and explain. In the present study, the…

As the use of educational technology becomes more ubiquitous, an enormous amount of learning process data is being produced. Educational data mining seeks to analyze and model these data, with the ultimate goal of improving learning outcomes. The most firmly grounded and rigorous evaluation of an educational data mining discovery is whether it…

Seeking the right level of help at the right time can support learning. However, in the context of online problem-solving environments, it is still not entirely clear which help-seeking strategies are desired. We use fine-grained data from 38 high school students who worked with the Geometry Cognitive Tutor for 2 months to better understand the…

A plethora of laboratory studies have shown that including the study of worked examples during problem-solving practice improves learning (Sweller, 1999; Sweller & Cooper, 1985). While most worked-example research focuses on the use of correct examples, recent work suggests that asking children to explain a combination of correct and incorrect…

Our 1997 article in "IJAIED" reported on a study that showed that a new algebra curriculum with an embedded intelligent tutoring system (the Algebra Cognitive Tutor) dramatically enhanced high-school students' learning. The main motivation for the study was to demonstrate that intelligent tutors that have cognitive science research…

In a series of two in vivo experiments, we examine whether correct and incorrect examples with prompts for self-explanation can be effective for improving students' conceptual understanding and procedural skill in Algebra when combined with guided practice. In Experiment 1, students working with the Algebra I Cognitive Tutor were randomly assigned…

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) publishes practice guides in education to bring the best available evidence and expertise to bear on current challenges in education. Authors of practice guides combine their expertise with the findings of rigorous research, when available, to develop specific recommendations for addressing these…

Examines teachers' judgments of the difficulties of algebra problems. Offers classroom-tested instructional approaches that build directly on students' mathematical intuitions and inventions. (KHR)

We present a methodology for designing better learning environments. In Phase 1, 6th-grade students' (n = 223) prior knowledge was assessed using a difficulty factors assessment (DFA). The assessment revealed that scaffolds designed to elicit contextual, conceptual, or procedural knowledge each improved students' ability to add and subtract…