VModel: A Visual Qualitative Modeling Environment for Middle- School Students K. D. Forbus, K. Carney, B. L. Sherin and Leo C. Ureel II Represented by Onur Güngör

Modeling Analyze TestRevise Formulate

Modeling cont. mathematical models  not for middle-class students. qualitative reasoning  predicate calculus volume = M + (level), etc. is also a con a solution attempt  visual representation language

Modeling in Education externalize thought  collaboration  learning by communication relationships between entities  ∆ x → ∆ y experience in formal representations

Graphical Representations Concept Maps

Graphical Representations cont. Concept map notations  able to express anything, but prevents communication between students very hard to detect ill-formed maps

Graphical Representations cont. Dynamical Systems Notations

Graphical Representations cont. Dynamical systems notations  cannot define conditions of applicability

Graphical Representations cont. Argumentation Environments

Graphical Representations cont. Argumentation environments  atomic structures They miss two key issues in modeling  broadly applicable principles and processes  qualitative understanding of behaviour

Design Ontology Model Library Supporting the modeling  coaches

Ontology EntitiesRelationships Processes: Process Basic Stuff: Thing Multiple-Thing Substance Parameters: Parameter Amount Level Rate Connectors : Does Touches Contains isPartOf Controllers : Requires Comparisons : Greater Than Less Than Equals Causes : Increases Decreases Influences InfluencesOpposite

Ontology cont. Restrictions  specified types for each node or relationship  binary relations

Model Library Ideas in one problem are applicable to other problems Parts of previous models can be reused

Supporting the modeling process Problem statement  modeling target Modeling  the Builder Analyzer  the Professor

the Builder Uses basic rule statements for detecting errors.  E.g. “A direct influence relationship must be connected between the rate of a process and any type of parameter.” Non-intrusive indications for errors default nodes with some particular nodes  e.g. Process with Rate. “skins”

the Professor checks for “modeling target”: explains the behaviour: Model Check Level Temperature You predicted that Temperature would be DECREASING but instead it is INCREASING. There is the process of Heating which Increases the Heat of Water that is INCREASING and which Influences the Temperature of Water that is INCREASING.

Classroom Experiences performed in Chicago and Detroit public school systems  curricula about relation between heat and temperature  and ecosystems causal paths were short before introduction of coaches observed good examples of generalization  “Replace ASTRONAUT with DOG.”  “Lions and Gazelles” lack of reuse and comparison Causal map redundancy  Additional relationship between lions and gazelles to “summarize”

Future Work Analogy-based coaching  norm model Produce suggestions based on the difference Merge Vmodel with sKEA (an open- domain sketching system)  Attached with a domain-independent mixed-initiative Socratic tutor

Questions?