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The Language Shift: A Mechanism for Triggering Metacognitive Activities

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Adaptive Learning Environments

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NATO ASI F,volume 85))

Abstract

This chapter presents a metaphor for designing educational computing systems (ECSs) that progressively transfer to the learner an increasing amount of control in the problem solving process. The continuous variation of learner’s control is segmented into a few levels. The transition from some level i to the next higher level i+1 results from the internalization of the concepts necessary to control the activities at level i. The use of reflection tools is proposed for supporting the internalization process. These reflection tools reify the control features of the learner’s activities, i.e., they make concrete some abstract features of his or her behaviour. The next level is reached when the learner is able to use aspects reified at level i to interact with the system at level i+1. The same control concept is first used as a description language (by the system) at some level i, and then as a command language (by the learner) at the level i+1. This language shift mechanism elevates the learner’s level of control and the level of abstraction. It is described by analogy with an elevator that would move inside a pyramid. A floor of the pyramid corresponds to some control level. We use a formal notation to look inside the language shift mechanism and relate it to various psychological theories and current ECSs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté de Psychologie et des Sciences de l’Education, University of Geneva, Switzerland

    Pierre Dillenbourg

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  1. Pierre Dillenbourg
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Computing and Engineering, Alberta Research Council, 68158 St. N.E., T2E 7H7, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Marlene Jones

  2. Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

    Philip H. Winne

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dillenbourg, P. (1992). The Language Shift: A Mechanism for Triggering Metacognitive Activities. In: Jones, M., Winne, P.H. (eds) Adaptive Learning Environments. NATO ASI Series, vol 85. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-77512-3_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-77512-3_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-77514-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-77512-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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