Robust Simulator for Error-Visualization in Assisting Learning Science

Abstract

Error-based Simulation (EBS) is a framework for assisting a learner to become aware of his error. It makes simulation based on his erroneous hypothesis to show what unreasonable phenomena would occur if the hypothesis were correct, which has been proved effective in causing cognitive conflict. In making EBS, it is necessary (1) to make simulation by dealing with a set of inconsistent constraints because erroneous hypotheses often contradict the correct knowledge, and (2) to estimate the 'unreasonableness' of phenomena in simulation because it must be recognized to be 'unreasonable' by a learner. Since the method used in previous EBS-systems was much domain-dependent, this paper describes a method for making EBS based on any inconsistent simultaneous equations/inequalities by using TMS (it is called 'Partial Constraint Analysis (PCA)'). It also describes a set of general heuristics to estimate the 'unreasonableness' of physical phenomena. By using PCA and the heuristics, a prototype of EBS-system for elementary mechanics and electric circuit problems was implemented in which a learner is asked to set up equations of the systems. A preliminary test proved our method useful in which most of the subjects agreed that the EBSs and explanations made by the prototype were effective in making a learner be aware of his error.