Structural Learning Theory Research Articles

Business - Information Systems Professional Differences

Group differences have often been cited between information system professionals and junctional-business professionals. Now perspectives of what constitutes business rules must be added to the list of group differences. In many organizations,junctional business professionals and information systems professionals disagree as to what constitutes a business rule. Functional personnel express business rules in terms of how business processes are defined and constrained. Alternatively, information system professionals view business rules in terms of the constraints that the rules place on manipulating the organization's data resources. Each of these perspectives is essentialfor the effective management ofafirm' s resources, but each perspective-independent of the otherfails to acknowledge the interreliance of business processes and the information systems that support them. This research develops a theoretical basis for this gap based on structural learning theory's definition of directive rule types: problem definition rules and solution rules. Structural learning theory is used to illustrate how these perspectives can be bridged. Based on the resulting model, the paper discusses the knowledge, skills and abilities that information systems professionals must have to enable bridging the gap.

Human-centered knowledge acquisition: a structural learning theory approach

This paper develops the application of structural learning theory (SLT) to support the knowledge engineer (KE) in the knowledge acquisition process and the development of expert systems. The underlying research focuses on the knowledge to elicit from skilled domain problem solvers, and the structure(i.e. form and type) of this knowledge using SLT to guide elicitation and interpretation. SLT explicitly models both declarative and procedural knowledge, while presuming an innate backward-chaining mechanism. Guidelines based on SLT allow knowledge engineers to concentrate on the human-centered knowledge of domain specific problem solvers. In fact, the SLT model presumes that skilled problem solvers do not automatically divulge all rules. This human-centered, needs-based approach provides a point of departure from previous knowledge acquisition methods and serves as a distinguishing feature of this knowledge acquisition method. Specifically grounded in SLT, distinct rule types are developed to be extracted from skilled domain problem solvers. Based on these rule types, guidelines are developed to aid the KEs in the acquisition process.

Technical note What is structured learning theory?

Structured Learning Theory is a radical departure from the current Pavlov‐Watson‐Skinner system. The latter represents learning change as a scalar quantity: structured learning represents learning gain as a vector quantity. The vector is the difference of loadings on a series of ability, personality and motivation factors between a pre and a post learning behavioural equation obtained by factor analysis.A glance at the post‐learning factor pattern matrix, which represents the dynamic lattice (Cattell, 1979), is sufficient to show how the learning has affected not only the given attitude strength but the whole dynamic lattice. That is to say, learning is represented by a complete change in the dynamic lattice, including the use of primary abilities.Thus, Structured Learning Theory links up with the equations in the dynamic calculus—equations dealing with conflict, decision theory and the internal readjustments of subsidiations to primary instincts (Murray, 1938).It is obvious that the complete description of an individual change through a learning experience requires not only a change in the loadings but also in the magnitude of the ability, personality and dynamic factors. This latter is obtainable by the usual estimations of factor magnitudes from the magnitudes of variables. The calculation of two vector changes may seem very demanding to experimenters, but this is the truth of what life learning does. It needs the use of matrix calculations because an individual is normally simultaneously experiencing exposure to several life‐path learnings.

What is Structured Learning Theory?

Structured learning theory understands learning in terms of the dynamics of the individual. It measures learning as the change in the behavioral equation between the before and after measurements. This is expressed in changes in both the behavioral indices (loadings) and factor scores. This is a vector measure as distinct from the scalar quantities used in classical learning theory. Structured learning is part of the dynamic calculus, which means that it embraces decision theory, the measurement of conflict and, by the use of matrix algebra, the complex learning in everyday life situations. The total learning in a situation is represented by the change in the factor pattern that represents the dynamic lattice.

Role of instructional theory in authoring effective and efficient learning technologies

This paper summarizes major issues in instructional theory and helps convey a better understanding of the advantages such theory offers for building intelligent instructional systems. Technology alone will not be sufficient for cost-effective development. Deeper understanding of the instructional process also will be essential. Taxonomic theory will not be sufficient for these purposes, however, nor will designer intuition. Good instructional theory must strive for comprehensiveness, internal consistency, parsimony and precision, and it must be operational. In this context, important advances have been made in instructional theory which hold considerable promise for the future. Building on core technology and the structural learning theory, a research program is proposed which will enable efficient development of effective learning systems for industries and schools.

Human motivation objectively, experimentally analysed.

The growth of validated objective devices, and of knowledge of ergic and sentiment structure has now, for 20 years, put new instruments (MAT and SMAT) in the hands of psychological practitioners. They have been slow to recognize, however, the theoretical powers in conflict measurement, decision theory, the general dynamic calculus, and structured learning theory which this has brought about. Illustration is given here of the experimental and clinical gains, with a view to the growth of several areas inaccessible to bivariate experiment.

Towards a model of programmers' cognitive processes in software maintenance: A structural learning theory approach for debugging

No comprehensive model of programmers' cognitive processes in software maintenance exists. As a first step in formulating such a model, a cognitive processes model for application debugging is developed. The new model is grounded on structural learning theory, which integrates both declarative models, such as Brooks's (1983) programmer comprehension model, and procedural knowledge such as Gould's (1975) process model and Vessey's (1986) functional model as components. The theoretical foundation of structural learning theory as a reference discipline for exploring software maintenance is provided. Not only are the benefits of the theory examined, but criticisms that have been levied are addressed. Based upon these consequences, the use of structural learning theory as applied to software maintenance is instantiated for the software debugging domain—the result is an approach that unites declarative and procedural knowledge. The practical and research implications of the new approach is then discussed.

Psychotherapy by Structured Learning Theory. By R. B. Cattell. (Pp. 184;illustrated;$29.95.) Springer Publishing: New York. 1987.

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Role of relativistic knowledge in intelligent tutoring

Understanding complex cognitive behavior necessarily involves interaction between two (or more) individuals. The teaching-learning process is just a special case. From the standpoint of an intelligent tutor (or human teacher) all student/learner knowledge is either assumed to be available or is judged relative to the teacher's model(s) of the content and/or skills to be acquired. In this regard, learner models play a central role in most contemporary approaches to intelligent tutoring. These models typically assign to the learner certain capabilities which are assumed by the intelligent tutor in administering instruction. If too much is assumed, however, it is impossible to determine where the student is going wrong, or how to correct the problem—unless the tutor model is enhanced to incorporate the assumed capabilities and these capabilities correspondingly are eliminated from the learner model. Research associated with the Structural Learning Theory shows that a common “goal switching” control mechanism is all that may safely be assumed with confidence. Maximum flexibility is achieved by assuming only this mechanism, along with basic encoding and decoding capabilities.

A first survey of the similarity of personality and motivation prediction of “in situ” and experimentally controlled learning, by structured learning theory

Abstract Cumulative studies show the prediction of school achievement from personality and dynamic traits to exceed that from abilities alone and to reach, with abilities, a multiple R of 0.7 to 0.8. A study of intellectual learning in a one-hour controlled experimentally-induced aversive situation shows essentially the same personality factors to be involved as in daily life situations, namely Superego (G), Dominance (E)—negatively—and Self-Sentiment (Q3). These findings support the structured learning theory in showing differences in personality structure to contribute significantly to both real-life academic achievement and short-term experimental learning outcomes (albeit under extremely stressful conditions).

Social Class, Social Learning, and Wife Abuse

There are two contemporary explanations of wife abuse: one cites the sexist structure and traditions of society; the other attributes it to social structural stress and to behavior learned in the family of origin. This article uses data from a random statewide survey of 602 married women living in Maryland to test these theories. The survey results support much of the social structural stress-childhood learning theory of wife abuse. Modifications to this theory are suggested. The survey data allow us to identify who battered women are and what types of service programs appear appropriate. Most wife-abuse victims are lower class; service programs must be designed with the needs of that population in mind.

Evaluation of two teaching programs based on structural learning principles

The work described here concerns the evaluation of two teaching programs in terms of their effectiveness with respect to overall learning gain, retention of the learned content and transfer to new subject areas. Two rather different theoretical frames have been used. One of the frames is the theory of structural learning which was mainly used to identify and formulate rules that underly a given subject matter and to propose differently structured teaching programs based upon different set of rules. The deterministic aspects of behavior often connected with structural learning theory, as for instance in the work of SCANDURA, is not considered here. The other frame is the probabilistic measurement theory of RASCH. Measurement models derived from this theory were used to define and measure the learning effects envisaged.