A Second-Order Adaptive Network Model for Learner-Controlled Mental Model Learning Processes

Abstract

Learning new knowledge or a new skill usually requires the development of an adequate internal mental model in the form of a mental network. The learning process for such an internal model involves (first-order) mental network adaptation. Such a learning process often integrates different elements, such as learning by observation and learning by instruction. For an effective learning process, a main issue is to get an appropriate timing of the different elements. To control the timing of these elements of a learning process, the mental network adaptation process has to be adaptive itself: second-order mental network adaptation. The second-order adaptive mental network model proposed here addresses this, where the first-order adaptation process models the learning process of mental network models and the second-order adaptation process controls the timing of the elements of the learning process. It is illustrated for learner-controlled mental model learning in the context of driving a car where the learner is in control of the integration of learning by observation and learning by instruction.