Analogical Processes in Learning

The role of analogy and procedural representation in learning is examined from several domains, including turtle geometry, kinship terms, and the learning of a computer text editor.

Abstract

Abstract : This paper examines the role of analogy and procedural representation in learning. Examples of analogical manipulation of knowledge schemata are presented from several domains, including turtle geometry, kinship terms, and the learning of a computer text editor. The view presented in this paper has a number of implications for instruction and for performance. In particular, the learner or user of a system should be presented with a conceptual model that has the following properties: (a) It is based on a domain with which the student is already knowledgeable and for which the student can reason readily; (b) The target and source domains should differ by a minimum number of spcifiable dimensions; (c) Operations that are natural in one domain should also be natural within the other domain; (d) Operations inappropriate within the target domain should be also by inappropriate within the source domain.