Beyond the code-and-count analysis of tutoring dialogues

In this paper, we raise a methodological issue concerning the empirical analysis of tutoring dialogues: The frequencies of tutoring moves do not necessarily reveal their causal efficacy. We propose to develop coding schemes that are better informed by theories of learning; stop equating higher frequencies of tutoring moves with effectiveness; and replace ANOVAs and chi-squares with multiple regression. As motivation for our proposal, we will present an initial analysis of tutoring dialogues, in the domain of introductory Computer Science.

[1]  Kurt VanLehn,et al.  Learning by Explaining Examples to Oneself: A Computational Model , 1993 .

[2]  Michael Drake,et al.  Scaffolding techniques of expert human tutors. , 1997 .

[3]  Johanna D. Moore,et al.  Discourse Generation for Instructional Applications: Identifying and Exploiting Relevant Prior Explanations , 1996 .

[4]  Stellan Ohlsson,et al.  Positive and negative verbal feedback for Intelligent Tutoring Systems , 2005, AIED.

[5]  Michael Pressley,et al.  Scaffolding student learning: Instructional approaches and issues. , 1997 .

[6]  Joseph P. Magliano,et al.  Collaborative dialogue patterns in naturalistic one-to-one tutoring , 1995 .

[7]  Takashi Yamauchi,et al.  Learning from human tutoring , 2001, Cogn. Sci..

[8]  John R. Anderson,et al.  Knowledge Compilation: The General Learning Mechanism , 2008 .

[9]  Benedict du Boulay,et al.  Implementation of motivational tactics in tutoring systems , 1995 .

[10]  Joel A. Michael,et al.  Problem Solving in Physiology , 1998 .

[11]  Davide Fossati,et al.  Natural Language Generation for Intelligent Tutoring Systems: a case study , 2005, AIED.

[12]  Stellan Ohlsson,et al.  Toward a Computational Model of Expert Tutoring: A First Report , 2006, FLAIRS.

[13]  K. VanLehn,et al.  Why Do Only Some Events Cause Learning During Human Tutoring? , 2003 .

[14]  R. Sun,et al.  The interaction of the explicit and the implicit in skill learning: a dual-process approach. , 2005, Psychological review.

[15]  Barbara A. Fox.  The Human Tutorial Dialogue Project: Issues in the Design of instructional Systems , 1993 .

[16]  Stellan Ohlsson.  System hacking meets learning theory: reflections on the goals and standards of research in artificial intelligence and education , 1991 .

[17]  J. Michael,et al.  NOVICE VS. EXPERT TUTORS: A COMPARISON OF STYLE , 1999 .