Abstract
One of the many difficult problems in the development of intelligent computer aided instruction (ICAI) is the appropriate design of instructions and helps. This paper addresses the question of optimizing instructional and help material concerning the operational knowledge for the visual, functional programming language ABSYNT (ABstract SYNtax Trees). The ultimate goal of the project is to build a problem solving monitor (PSM) for this language and the corresponding programming environment. The PSM should analyse the blueprints of the students, give comments and proposals (SLEEMAN & HENDLEY, 1982). First, we will explain our motivation for choosing this domain of discourse. Second, we will shortly present the programming environment of ABSYNT. Third, we represent the development of two alternative 2-D-rulesets (appendix A, B), which describe the operational semantics of the ABSYNT interpreter. The development of the 2-D-rules was guided by cognitive psychology and cognitive engineering aspects and results of an empirical study. The study showed that the rules were comprehensible even for computer novices.
This research was sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in the SPP Psychology of Knowledge under Contract No. MO 293/3-2
We are grateful that Gabriele Janke and Klaus Kohnert implemented ABSYNT in INTERLISP and LOOPS, that Heinz-Jürgen Thole did part of the rule-based programming in LPA-PROLOG and that Klaus-Dieter Frank assisted in empirical research and did the first implementation of the help system in HYPERCARD.
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
ALBER, K., STRUCKMANN, W., Einführung in die Semantik von Programmiersprachen, Mannheim: BI-Wissenschaftsverlag, 1988
BAUER, F.L., GOOS, G.: Informatik, 1.Teil. Berlin, Springer, 1982 (3. Edition)
BOURNE, L.E.: An Inference Model of Conceptual Rule Learning. In: SOLSO, R. (ed): Theories in Cognitive Psychology. WASHINGTON, D.C.: ERLBAUM, 1974, 231–256
BROWN, J.S.; van LEHN, K.: Repair Theory: A Generative Theory of Bugs in Procedural Skills. Cognitive Science, 1980, 4, 379–426
CARROLL, J.M.: Minimalist Design for Active Users. In: SHACKLE, B. (ed): Interact 84, First IFIP Conference on Human-Computer-Interaction. Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland, 1984a
CARROLL, J.M.: Minimalist Training. Datamation, 1984b, 125–136
CHANG, S.K., Visual Languages: A Tutorial and Survey, in: P. GORNY & M.J. TAUBER (eds), Visualization in Programming, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Heidelberg: Springer, 1987, 1–23
CHASE, W. G., Visual Information Processing, in: K.R. BOFF, L. KAUFMAN, J.P. THOMAS (eds), Handbook of Perception and Human Performance, Vol. II, Cognitive Processes and Performance, New York: Wiley, 1986, 28–1–28–71
COLONIUS, H., FRANK, K.D., JANKE, G., KOHNERT, K., MÖBUS, C., SCHRÖDER, O., THOLE, H.J., Stand des DFG-Projekts "Entwicklung einer Wissensdiagnostik-und Fehlererklärungskomponente beim Erwerb von Programmierwissen für ABSYNT", in: R. GUNZENHÄUSER, H. MANDL (eds), "Intelligente Lernsysteme", Institut für Informatik der Universität Stuttgart, Deutsches Institut für Fernstudien an der Universität Tübingen, 1987, 80–90
COLONIUS, H., FRANK, K.D., JANKE, G., KOHNERT, K., MÖBUS, C., SCHRÖDER, O., THOLE, H.J., Syntaktische und semantische Fehler in funktionalen graphischen Programmen, ABSYNT Report 2/87, 1987
DAVIS, R.E., Runnable Specification as a Design Tool, in: K.L. CLARK, S.A. TÄRNLUND (eds), Logic Programming, New York: Academic Press, 1982, 141–149
FITTER, M; GREEN, T.R.G.: When Do Diagrams Make Good Computer Languages? Int. Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 1979, 11, 235–261, and in: COOMBS, M.J.; ALTY, J.L. (eds): Computing Skills and the User Interface. New York: Academic Press, 1981, 253–287
GENESERETH, M.R.; NILSSON, N.J.: Logical Foundations of Artificial Intelligence. Los Altos, California: Morgan Kaufman, 1987
GREEN, T.R.G.; SIME, M.E.; FITTER, M.J.: The Art of Notation. In: COOMBS, M.J.; ALTY, J.L. (eds): Computing Skills and the User Interface. New York: Academic Press, 1981, 221–251
HAYGOOD, R.C.; BOURNE, L.E.; Attribute-and Rule Learning Aspects of Conceptual Behaviour. Psychological Review, 1965, 72, 175–195
JANKE, G., KOHNERT, K., Interface Design of a Visual Programming Language: Evaluating Runnable Specifications, in: F. KLIX, H. WANDKE, N.A. STREITZ, Y. WAERN (eds), Man-Computer Interaction Research, MACINTER II, Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1989, 567–581
JOHNSON, W.L.; SOLOWAY, E: PROUST: An Automatic Debugger for PASCAL Programs. BYTE, 1985, April, 179–190, and in KEARSLEY, G.P. (ed): Artificial Intelligence and Instruction. Reading, Mass.: Addison Wesley, 1987, 49–67
KOHNERT, K., JANKE, G.: The Object-Oriented Inplementation of the ABSYNT-Environments. ABSYNT-Report 4/88, Project ABSYNT, FB 10, Unit on Tutoring and Learning Systems, University of Oldenburg, 1988
LARKIN, J.H.; SIMON, H.A.: Why a Diagram is (Sometimes) Worth More Than Ten Thousand Words. Cognitive Science, 1987, 11, 65–99
MEDIN, D.L.; WATTENMAKER, W.D.; MICHALSKI, R.S.: Constraints and Preferences in Inductive Learning: An Experimental Study of Human and Machine Performance. Cognitive Science, 1987, 11, 299–339
MIYAKE, N.: Constructive Interaction and the Iterative Process of Understanding. Cognitive Science, 10, 1986, 151–177
MÖBUS, C., Die Entwicklung zum Programmierexperten durch das Problemlösen mit Automaten, in: MANDL, FISCHER (Hrsgb), Lernen im Dialog mit dem Computer, München: Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1985, 140–154
MÖBUS, C., SCHRÖDER, O., Knowledge Specification and Instructions for a Visual Computer Language, in: F. KLIX, H. WANDKE, N.A. STREITZ, Y. WAERN (eds), Man-Computer Interaction Research, MACINTER II, Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1989, 535–565
MÖBUS, C., THOLE, H.J., Tutors, Instructions and Helps, in: CHRISTALLER, Th. (ed), Künstliche Intelligenz. KIFS87, Proceedings, Informatik-Fachberichte 202, Heidelberg: Springer, 1989, 336–385
PAGAN, F.G., Formal Specification of Programming Languages, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1981
PAYNE, S.J.; SIME, M.E.; GREEN, T.R.G.: Perceptual Structure Cueing in a Simple Command Language. Int. Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 1984, 21, 19–29
PENNINGTON, N.: Stimulus Structures and Mental Representations in Expert Comprehension of Computer Programs. Cognitive Psychology, 1987, 19, 295–341
POMERANTZ, J.R.: Perceptual Organization in Information Processing. In: AITKENHEAD, A.M.; SLACK, J.M. (eds): Issues in Cognitive Modeling. Hillsdale: Erlbaum, 1985, 127–158
SCHRÖDER, O., FRANK, K.D., COLONIUS, H., Gedächtnisrepräsentation funktionaler, graphischer Programme, ABSYNT-Report 1/87, Universität Oldenburg, 1987
SHU, N.C., Visual Programming Languages: A Perspective and a Dimensional Analysis, in: CHANG, T., ICHIKAWA, LIGOMENIDES, P.A. (eds), Visual Languages, New York: Plenum Press, 1986, 11–34
SLEEMAN, D.H., HENDLEY, R.J., ACE: A system which Analyses Complex Explanations, in: D. SLEEMAN, J.S. BROWN (eds), Intelligent Tutoring Systems, New York: Academic Press, 1982, 99–118
SOLOWAY, E.: Learning to Program = Learning to Construct Mechanisms and Explanations. Communications of the ACM, 29, 9, 1986, 850–858
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Möbus, C., Schröder, O. (1990). Representing semantic knowledge with 2-dimensional rules in the domain of functional programming. In: Gorny, P., Tauber, M.J. (eds) Visualization in Human-Computer Interaction. IPsy 1988. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 439. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-52698-6_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-52698-6_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-52698-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47102-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive