Advanced interaction: A return to mental models and learning by doing

Abstract

Advanced interactive computer systems may have profound beneficial effects in education and scientific research in unexpected ways. These technologies and techniques may change not only the traditional process of transferring information but also they may promote the development of complex mental models, sophisticated pattern recognition, and refined professional intuition. Although the earliest learning of the child is highly interactive, involving all the senses, in most academic disciplines this interactive approach is replaced mainly by lectures and books. With advanced interactive computing, however, we may find that in order to go forward we will need to look back. In time, we may find ourselves using the most sophisticated technologies to work on the most sophisticated problems by simulating once again the child's way of learning and investigating—the old fashioned processes of deep, multi-sensory, learning by doing.