Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
c
Learning to learn • Aim
– To be able to design activities where people can become better learners of IT
– Input for Assignment 3
• Core literature: – Textbook chapter 5
• Additional literature – Grigoreanu et.al.(2012). End-user debugging strategies: A sensemaking
perspective
– Novick, Elizalde & Bean (2007) Toward a more accurate view of when and
how people seek help with computer applications.
Write down 1-3 ways in which you solve IT
use problems.
1
1. Skills – doing
2. Understanding – talking about it
3. Problem solving competence
Models and confrontations of misconceptions
Scaffolds for learning problem solving
1. Le
arnin
g
Instructions
0. Related competence
2. Le
arnin
g
3. Le
arnin
g
Metacognition Knowing how to learn Higher order cognitive skills
2
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
Module for Problem solving
1. Introduction
a. Usefulness of problem solving method
b. Presentation of problem solving method
2. Practical hands-on exercises
a. Exercise requiring problem solving
3. Summary
a. Discuss problem solving approach
3
Categories of problem solving methods
1. Research cycle
2. Stages of the research cycle
3. Strategies for iteration
4. Innovative research cycles
4
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
4. M
ak
e
se
nse
of
ou
tpu
t.
3. Enter input.
1. Generate hypothesis and plan input.
5. Compare output with hypothesis 2
. Navig
ate
Research cycle
Exploration skill.
IT skill and understanding
Rep
ea
ting
the
cyc
le fo
r
•F
un
,
•C
urio
sity,
•L
ea
rnin
g, …
1. Research cycle
4. M
ake
sense
of
outp
ut.
3. Enter input.
1. Generate hypothesis and plan input.
5. Compare output with hypothesis.
2. N
avig
ate.
Troubleshooting Experimentation
4. M
ake
sense
of
outp
ut.
3. Enter input.
1. Generate hypothesis and plan input.
5. Compare output with hypothesis.
2. N
avig
ate.
Two types of problem solving
• Triggered from understanding
• It can do this, can it do that?
• Triggered from unexpected result
• How can I fix it?
1. Research cycle 6
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
1.
Err
on
eo
us
Ou
tpu
t
5. O
utp
ut
of
ne
w f
orm
ula
4. Enter changed formula
6. Compare output with expected
3. W
he
re to
ch
an
ge
Debug spreadsheets
Grigoreanu et.al.(2012)
1.
Err
on
eo
us
Ou
tpu
t
5. O
utp
ut
of
ne
w f
orm
ula
4. Enter changed formula
6. Compare output with expected
3. W
he
re to
ch
an
ge
2. Understanding 1. Skill
Troubleshooting skill.
Corrected the errors.
No new competence.
Errors remain.
2. Detecting suspicious formulas 2. Guessing what can be wrong
1. Research cycle
3a. Im
itate an
d
Re
pe
at rese
arch cycle
3a. Research cycle skill. IT skill and understanding
3b. Understanding generation of IT use understanding
3b
. Co
mp
are scaffo
ld
and
execu
tion
of
rese
arch cycle
4. M
ake
sense
of
outp
ut.
3. Enter input.
1. Generate hypothesis and plan input.
5. Compare output with hypothesis.
2. N
avig
ate.
Pair working
2. Understanding
Learning the research cycle
1. Research cycle
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
Guiding precise observation
This worked last time, why did the computer do something else now?
No worries. Start over again. Go slowly and observe precisely what you are typing.
You know, I often mistype myself. That is normally the reason why surprising things happen on the screen.
Trainer refering to own mistakes
Learner understands that he is not stupid
2. Stages of the research cycle 9
3d
. Co
mp
are scaffo
ld an
d
ob
servatio
ns
3c. R
ep
eat
•o
bse
rve b
utto
ns p
resse
d
•take
no
tes
•m
ake scre
en
sho
ts
3d. Understanding precise observation
3c. Skill for precise observation.
Functional IT understanding.
Without knowing
what happened
Cannot know
which input change
that caused output
changes.
2. Understanding
4. M
ake
sense
of
outp
ut.
3. Enter input.
Learning precise observation
Without knowing the
input
Cannot know why
the output appeared.
2. Stages of the research cycle
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
Interpreting search results
From software producer
Another pdf reader
A file
Non-commercial
Date
An introductory tutorial to the software
2. Stages of the research cycle 11
Efficiency in problem solving
• Inefficient
– Trial-and-error
– Consulting documentation
• More efficient
– Switching between trial-and-error and documentation Andrade, et al., 2009
Reviewing training material is
twice as successful as searching for help
Novick et al 2009
Same material in
training and
documentation
12
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
Pro
ble
m s
olv
ing
str
ate
gie
s
Direct observation (bold lines) Interviews (thin lines) Self-reports through diaries (dotted lines)
No
vick
, Eliz
ald
e, &
Bea
n, 2
007
13
3h
. Co
mp
are issu
e an
d h
elp
re
ceive
d to
jud
ge th
e ch
oice
o
f pe
rson
asked
for h
elp
3g. Im
itate an
d R
ep
eat
•A
sk colle
ague
s for h
elp
•
Ask IT su
pp
ort fo
r he
lp
3h. Understanding help seeking
3g. Help seeking skill. IT skill and understanding
IT support
Colleagues,
including
superusers
4. M
ake
sense
of
outp
ut.
2. Understanding
Learning help seeking
2. Stages of the research cycle
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
3i. Im
itate an
d R
ep
eat
plan
nin
g chan
ges
3i. Skill of planning changes
Pair working
3j. Understanding experimental control
Identical input identical output.
Two changes in input Not always
possible to know which input
change that caused output changes.
3j. C
om
pare
scaffold
an
d p
lans fo
r chan
ges
2. Understanding
1. Plan input.
.
Learning experimental control
2. Stages of the research cycle
Guideline for Experimental control
1. Make one change at a time:
a. Ill-structured chart change Series, Category, Filter.
b. Values of Categories and Filters change Organisation units or Periods.
c. Values which the graph displays change Indicators, Data elements or
Reporting rates.
d. Title, trend lines, target lines, axis etc. change Options
2. Click Update 3. Repeat
The general way of improving charts
2. Stages of the research cycle 16
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
Guiding to improve self-efficacy • Strength of one's belief in one's own ability to complete tasks and reach goals
I never get this right. I give up
Let’s try. I find the edit button there. … No. Too small number. We need to divide by 100 000 and not 100. Edit again. There it says percentage. What are the other options? Per100k, does that mean 100000? … Save … Calculate … Yessss.
Watching a peer struggle and succeed is the best way of strengthening self efficacy
2. Stages of the research cycle 17
3l. C
om
pare
you
rself
with
colle
ague
s.
3k. O
bse
rve co
lleagu
es
solvin
g pro
ble
ms.
Take p
art in gro
up
s so
lving p
rob
lem
s.
3l. Understanding own efficacy 3k. Higher self efficacy.
IT skill and understanding
Colleagues
3. Enter input.
1. Self-efficacy
A group which succeeds in
problem solving
Learning self efficacy 2. Understanding own self-efficacy
2. Stages of the research cycle
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
Guiding for generating hypotheses
Now I have opened each picture in the editor, adjusted its size to the standard and saved it again. There must be an easier way
Normally, when you repeat the same over and over again, there is some function in the computer which can do it. We just need to find it.
2. Stages of the research cycle
3r. Im
itate an
d R
ep
eat
gen
eratin
g hyp
oth
ese
s
3r. Skill of generating hypotheses.
Understanding usefulness of IT in own tasks
Repeating the same sequence of
operations Software may exist with
which repetitions can be avoided.
3s. Understanding generation of hypotheses
3s. C
om
pare
scaffold
an
d ge
ne
ration
of
hyp
oth
ese
s
2. Understanding
1. Generate
hypotheses.
Learning generation of hypotheses
Additional effort during planning is paid
back through more efficient operation.
2. Stages of the research cycle
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
3v. C
om
pare
scaffold
wih
th
e se
qu
en
ce o
f rese
arch
cycles
3u
. Imitate
and
rep
eat
backtrackin
g
3v. Understanding backtracking 3u. Backtracking skill. IT understanding
Pair working
21
2. Understanding
Start with erroneous output.
Proceed backwards in the process
which created the output and test
all steps.
1. Plan input. 4
. M
ake
sense
of
outp
ut.
3. Enter input. 2
. Nav
igate.
3. Strategies for iteration
Backtracking
User’s computer WiFi Internet service provider Remote hosts
Browser
Network
software
Network hardware
Elimination
3. Strategies for iteration
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
3aa. Skill for changing routines. Skill and understanding of new routine
Learning new work routine
Repeated, consistent
feedback 3
z. Co
mp
are
scaffold
s with
exp
erie
nce
d
effects
2. Understanding
3y. R
ep
eat
•Carry o
ut n
ew
ro
utin
e
•Discu
ss pu
rpo
se
of n
ew
rou
tine
Discuss purpose of
new routine
3z. Understanding changing routines
3. Strategies for iteration
Guiding giving feedback
• Consistent, repeated feedback make people change behaviour
François, you have to tell the customers that we no longer respond to e-mails to individual staff members. They have to use the web-portal, such that we can track all requests.
3. Strategies for iteration 24
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
3t. Im
itate an
d R
ep
eat
•Se
arch fo
r •
Do
wn
load
•
Install so
ftware
. •
Re
mo
ve if n
ee
de
d.
3t. Skill of installing software. IT understanding
Software is data.
Software can be downloaded.
Software can be installed.
3u. Understanding installing software
3u
. Co
mp
are scaffo
ld
and
installatio
n o
f so
ftware
Software can be malicious
Search for reviews.
Remove if needed.
2. Understanding, skill for (3e) search for help and (3g) help seeking
Learning installing software
4. Innovative research cycles
Workaround
That web-shop requires me to fill a field called State, but Benin is not divided into states. Since this address data is probably going to be glued to the package, I’d better not mislead the post office. Just let me repeat the city name Cotonou.
4. Innovative research cycles
Jens Kaasbøll
INF 3280 – 22 Feb 2017
3ad. Understanding workaround 3ac. Skills for workaround. Skill and understanding of
the particular solution
3ad
. Co
mp
are scaffo
lds
with
expe
rien
ced
effects
1. Observe that IT operation
does not fit business goal
2. Determine wanted output
3. Compare wanted output with
result of other IT operations
Pair working
3 ac.R
ep
eat re
search
cycle
un
til ou
tpu
t me
ets b
usin
ess n
ee
ds
2. Understanding and 3a, 3e and 3g.
Learning workaround
4. Innovative research cycles
4. Train users so that they can solve problems and learn on their own.
28