This paper describes the theoretical underpinnings and architecture of a new type of learning environment that incorporates features of microworlds and of intelligent tutoring systems. The environment is based on a progression of increasingly sophisticated causal models that simulate domain phenomena, generate explanations, and serve as student…

Evaluation models are being developed for assessing artificial intelligence (AI) systems in terms of similar performance by groups of people. Natural language understanding and vision systems are the areas of concentration. In simplest terms, the goal is to norm a given natural language system's performance on a sample of people. The specific…

All elementary and middle school students can gain five different types of knowledge about computers: (1) how to operate a computer; (2) roles computers play in different subject areas and outside of education; (3) how to direct a computer to aid them in writing, information retrieval, music composition, and creative art; (4) algorithmic thinking;…

A group of American and Japanese psychologists, anthropologists, linguists, and computer scientists gathered at the University of California, San Diego, to exchange ideas on models of joint problem solving and their special relevance to the design and implementation of computer-based systems of instruction. Much of the discussion focused on…

Scores of two groups of White and Hispanic children at 11 age levels from 2.5 years to 12.5 years were assessed. The scores were drawn from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), an individually administered assessment battery designed to measure intelligence and achievement and intended for minority group assessment. Reliability…

Computer-based Natural Language Processing (NLP) is the key to enabling humans and their computer-based creations to interact with machines using natural languages (English, Japanese, German, etc.) rather than formal computer languages. NLP is a major research area in the fields of artificial intelligence and computational linguistics. Commercial…

Project aims were to learn what college freshmen knew of the late 19th and 20th century presidents and to determine the students' writing level. During the first class of each of five semesters, students enrolled in an American History Since 1865 course were asked to write one paragraph about any president in the time period 1865-1981. Due to time…

This paper describes an open day held for fifth and lower sixth form girls which was designed to encourage them to consider pursuit of either a degree level program or coursework in artificial intelligence at the University of Sussex. It is noted that, although the students who attended the program were enthusiastic, the number of applicants was…

The Processing Services department of the Library of Congress initiated a project to learn about expert systems technology and to examine potential applications of expert systems to functions in their department, e.g., acquisitions, cataloging, and serials control. (An expert system is defined as an artificial intelligence computer program which…

A growing interest among industrial and organizational psychologists is learning how to predict and maximize trainability. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between dimensions of cognitive style and perceptual mode as well as their association with a learning style instrument, explore the relationship between field…

This paper examines the cognitive structures and processes that mediate mathematical and scientific ability. Ability is divided into achieved abilities and precursor abilities. Identified concepts in the area of achieved ability include expertise, understanding, and problem-solving. Other abilities can be seen as precursors to such achieved…

Drawn from several comprehensive bibliographies and computer searches of volumes by speakers at the Conference on Thinking, this brief bibliography presents resources for researchers and practitioners interested in the areas of cognitive and critical thinking skills. The materials are divided into the following topic areas: (1) general, (2)…

This Digest overviews legal challenges in five areas of test use for decision-making in schools: ability tracking, placement in special education classes, test scores as college admissions criteria, test disclosure, and teacher competency testing. Cases illustrating these challenges are described and include: Hobson v. Hansen (1967), Moses v.…

It was recently concluded that experiments "indicate that relatively brief interactions with a commercial game can cause a significant improvement in children's performance on an IQ subtest" (Dirks, 1982). The present paper makes three points. First, Dirks' analyses were not appropriate to the research question, and hence provide no…

This paper examines the relationship between democratic citizenship and information technology. Modern information technology disputes the idea that citizens can be properly educated to assume the burdens necessary to reap the blessing of freedom. Information technologies challenge the ability of citizens to fulfill the fundamental requirement of…