Designing for metacognition—applying cognitive tutor principles to the tutoring of help seeking

Intelligent Tutoring Systems have been shown to be very effective in supporting learning in domains such as mathematics, physics, computer programming, etc. However, they are yet to achieve similar success in tutoring metacognition. While an increasing number of educational technology systems support productive metacognitive behavior within the scope of the system, few attempt to teach skills students need to become better future learners. To that end, we offer a set of empirically-based design principles for metacognitive tutoring. Our starting point is a set of design principles put forward by Anderson et al. (Journal of the Learning Sciences, 4:167–207, 1995) regarding Cognitive Tutors, a family of Intelligent Tutoring Systems. We evaluate the relevance of these principles to the tutoring of help-seeking skills, based on our ongoing empirical work with the Help Tutor. This auxiliary tutor agent is designed to help students learn to make effective use of the help facilities offered by a Cognitive Tutor. While most of Anderson’s principles are relevant to the tutoring of help seeking, a number of differences emerge as a result of the nature of metacognitive knowledge and of the need to combine metacognitive and domain-level tutoring. We compare our approach to other metacognitive tutoring systems, and, where appropriate, propose new guidelines to promote the discussion regarding the nature and design of metacognitive tutoring within scaffolded problem-solving environments.     

Written computer-mediated requests for help by French-speaking students: An analysis of their forms and functions

The present study regarded the self-regulated vs. not-self-regulated function and the indirect vs. direct (i.e., polite vs. impolite) linguistic form of middle school students’ requests for help. Natural data (149 requests were sent via an online homework-help forum by French-speaking seventh to ninth graders) was used. Nearly 60% of the requests were self-regulated and 70% were indirect (polite). Moreover, self-regulated functions (detailed or general requests about mathematics) were frequently combined with indirect request forms (embedded imperatives, question directives, or hints), suggesting that these students were capable of metacognitive reflection on their homework and followed the pragmatic communication rules of traditional student-teacher situations.     

Predictors of adaptive help seeking across ninth‐grade students enrolled in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses

This study explored how adaptive help seeking was related to academic self‐efficacy, perfectionism (maladaptive and adaptive), attitudes toward help seeking (perceived benefits and perceived threats), and teacher emotional support among 311 grade 9 students in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes. Significant bivariate links emerged between adaptive help seeking and all six potential correlates. Regression analyses indicated that teacher emotional support, adaptive perfectionism (high personal standards), and perceived benefits were significant, positive predictors of adaptive help seeking. Gender also was a significant predictor, as boys had lower levels of adaptive help seeking compared with girls. Furthermore, gender moderated the association between perceived benefits and adaptive help‐seeking; perceived benefits were particularly highly associated with boys’ adaptive help seeking from classroom teachers. Strategies for explicating the benefits of adaptive help seeking, promoting adaptive perfectionism, and fostering teacher emotional support are provided, as well as limitations and future directions for research.     

How does help seeking help? - New prospects in a variety of contexts

The editors of this special section have focused on a theme that is both old and new. Research on help seeking has a long history and a strong theory pointing out that help seeking is an important academic strategy of self-regulation that facilitates learning. It is a new topic to consider in the context of broadened learning environments, increased opportunities provided by technology and multiple forms of social interactions available in new learning environments. I’ll consider the special section from a self-regulated learning research perspective and focus my remarks on three themes: (a) “How does help seeking help?”, (b) “adaptiveness of strategic help seeking”, and (c) “help seeking in pairs and teams”.     

An investigation of Taiwan University students' perceptions of online academic help seeking, and their web-based learning self-efficacy

This study was conducted to investigate Taiwan University students' perceptions (including experience, confidence and preference) of online academic help seeking (OAHS) and students' level of web-based learning self-efficacy (WLSE). Two instruments, OAHS questionnaire, consisting of information searching, formal and informal query scales, and WLSE questionnaire, including general and functional scales, were then validated through collecting the responses from 300 university students. Results indicate reciprocal relations between experience, confidence and preference in students' online academic help seeking behaviors. Students' academic help seeking behaviors were related to their general self-efficacy in a web-based course setting. Students' functional WLSE was related to their perceptions of information searching for OAHS. Findings of this study also imply that students' experience of seeking help from informal online channels is prominent when they participate in a web-based course.     

Profiles of adverse childhood experiences and impulsivity

The influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which often include childhood exposure to maltreatment and household dysfunction, on health risk behaviors during young adulthood has been widely documented. A vulnerability marker for the increased risky behaviors among young ACEs victims such as impulsivity remains to be explored. The present study investigated how different profiles of ACEs influence impulsivity in young adulthood. Respondents were young people (N = 336; ages 18–25) who were recruited from the community. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subpopulations of individuals based on varying exposure to 13 types of ACEs, including childhood maltreatment, household dysfunction, and community violence. Four distinct classes emerged: Low ACEs (56%), Household Dysfunction/Community Violence (14%), Emotional ACEs (14%), and High/Multiple ACEs (16%). Multiple regression analyses found that compared to those in the Low ACEs class, young adults in the Emotional ACEs and High/Multiple ACEs respectively, reported increased levels of negative urgency, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and other impulsivity traits. This result suggests that childhood exposure to multiple ACEs at high levels is particularly related to impulsive self-control in the context of intense negative emotionality.     

Peer victimization,deviant peer affiliation and impulsivity: Predicting adolescent problem behaviors

Abundant evidence has demonstrated an association between peer victimization and adolescent problem behaviors. However, there is a large gap in knowledge about the potential mediators that associate peer victimization with problem behaviors and the potential moderators that exacerbate or buffer this association. The current study examined whether deviant peer affiliation mediated the association between peer victimization and problem behaviors and whether the direct and indirect associations were moderated by impulsivity. A sample of 1401 adolescents (50.1% boys, 11–14 years old) completed anonymous questionnaires regarding peer victimization, impulsivity, deviant peer affiliation, and problem behaviors. Gender, age and socioeconomic status (SES) were controlled for in the analyses. Structural equation models showed that peer victimization was significantly associated with more problem behaviors, and this association was mediated by deviant peer affiliation. Impulsivity moderated both the direct association (peer victimization → problem behaviors) and the second stage of the indirect path (deviant peer affiliation → problem behaviors). Specifically, these associations were especially stronger for adolescents with higher impulsivity. Identifying the processes by which peer victimization is associated with adolescent problem behaviors has important implications for an integrative framework of theory and prevention.     

Expectations of and Attitudes toward Counseling: A Comparison of Asian International and U.S. Graduate Students

This study examined Asian international graduate students’ expectations of and attitudes toward counseling by using U.S. graduate students as a comparative reference group. Survey data from 189 Asian international and 186 U.S. students were subject to analyses. Results indicated that Asian international students, in comparison with U.S. students, indicated less exposure to counseling, less self-perceived need for counseling, greater discomfort/shame with counseling, less openness to counseling, a greater preference for a directive style, and a greater preference for a flexible counseling format. Language and cultural concerns were barriers to seeking counseling. Implications for culturally responsive services were discussed.     

Stretching the limits in help-seeking research: Theoretical, methodological, and technological advances

This special section focuses on help seeking in a wide range of learning environments, from classrooms to online forums. Previous research has rather restrictively focused on the identification of personal characteristics that predict whether or not learners seek help under certain conditions. However, help-seeking research has begun to broaden these self-imposed limitations. The articles in this special section represent good examples of this development. Indeed, help seeking in the presented articles is explored through complementary theoretical lenses (e.g., linguistic, instructional), using a wide scope of methodologies (e.g., teacher reports, log files), and in a manner which embraces the support of innovative technologies (e.g., cognitive tutors, web-based environments).     

Psychological distress and help seeking amongst higher education students: findings from a mixed method study of undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher education students in Ireland

Psychological distress as experienced by higher education students is of major concern because of its potential to adversely impact academic performance, retention, mental health and lifestyle. This paper reports a mixed method investigation of student self-reported psychological distress and help-seeking behaviour. The sample comprised all students (n?=?1557) registered on undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher education programmes at an Irish university. Participants (n?=?1112) completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) to determine their self-reported psychological distress and the Lifestyle Behaviour Questionnaire to examine sources of distress, lifestyle and demographic variables. Individual interviews (n?=?59) explored student experiences of psychological distress and their help-seeking behaviours. Forty two percent of respondents exceeded the GHQ threshold ≥5, which signifies risk of mental or physical health problems. Sources of distress included academic, financial and psychosocial stressors. Regression analysis identified that demographic, programmatic and lifestyle variables predicted GHQ scores. Despite the distress experienced, students were reluctant users of support services. Many actively avoided seeking help. These findings raise serious concerns about the extent of psychological distress among this population. They also alert education providers to be vigilant for student psychological distress and to provide effective interventions, cognisant of the impact of stigma on help seeking.     

基于WEB信息检索方法研究

吸收当前信息检索、智能Agent等方面的最新思想和技术，利用人工智能技术。特别是机器学习技术、多Agent技术，设计实现了一个面向领域的Web智能检索系统．为用户高效地获取面向专业内容的信息资源提供了一种方法．     

Help-seeking tendencies during early adolescence: An examination of motivational correlates and consequences for achievement

The present study examined the motivational correlates and achievement consequences of students’ help-seeking tendencies during sixth grade (N = 217). Students’ grades were collected from school records at the beginning and end of the school year. Midway through the year students reported on their academic self-efficacy and social demonstration goals; teachers reported on students’ help-seeking tendencies. First quarter grades and academic self-efficacy were positively related to adaptive help seeking and negatively related to avoidant help seeking. In addition, a social demonstration-approach goal was negatively related to adaptive help seeking. Help-seeking tendencies predicted 3rd quarter grades, controlling for 1st quarter grades.     

高校学生就业中的现存问题及对策

自高等院校毕业生就业制度由“统包统分”模式向“供需见面、双向选择、自主择业”模式转变以来，大学生择业和就业问题是各个高校和学生都不可回避的现实。然而，高校毕业生就业期望值过高、就业准备不充分、求职技巧缺乏等问题普遍存在，致使大量需求信息浪费，严重地影响并阻碍了就业工作的开展。本文仅从就业指导服务的角度，对大学毕业生就业中存左的问题及对策进行分析．     

文化寻根小说的雅化、俗化、野化趋向──汪曾祺、冯骥才、郑万隆论

本文认为新时期文化寻根小说中存在三种突出的演化趋向——雅化、俗化和野化,而汪曾棋、冯骥才、郑万隆正代表着这三种趋向人这点出发,具体论述其文化寻根小说的不同特征。     

Improving students’ help-seeking skills using metacognitive feedback in an intelligent tutoring system

The present research investigated whether immediate metacognitive feedback on students’ help-seeking errors can help students acquire better help-seeking skills. The Help Tutor, an intelligent tutor agent for help seeking, was integrated into a commercial tutoring system for geometry, the Geometry Cognitive Tutor. Study 1, with 58 students, found that the real-time assessment of students’ help-seeking behavior correlated with other independent measures of help seeking, and that the Help Tutor improved students’ help-seeking behavior while learning Geometry with the Geometry Cognitive Tutor. Study 2, with 67 students, evaluated more elaborated support that included, in addition to the Help Tutor, also help-seeking instruction and support for self-assessment. The study replicated the effect found in Study 1. It was also found that the improved help-seeking skills transferred to learning new domain-level content during the month following the intervention, while the help-seeking support was no longer in effect. Implications for metacognitive tutoring are discussed.     

Classroom and technology-supported help seeking: The need for converging research paradigms

Contributions to this special section represent advances in understanding help seeking as a self-regulated learning strategy that occurs in classrooms, during computer-mediated communications, and when using intelligent systems that provide help to improve learners’ help-seeking skills and knowledge acquisition. Collectively, the research and development contributes information relevant for all phases of the help-seeking process. My comments focus on: (a) features of technology-supported help seeking that have implications for motivation, (b) the need for increased attention to the instructional context in which technology-supported help seeking occurs, (c) a necessary convergence of classroom and technology-supported help-seeking research paradigms, and (d) reconsideration of help seeking as a social-interactive strategy.     

求知与修养相结合是大学生成才的必由之路—学习江泽民有关论述的体会

基于对国运兴衰和民族复兴的战略思考,江泽民高度重视大学生的健康成长,强调要培养创造就高素质的创造性人才。他认为求知与修养相结合是中华民族的优秀化传统,是青年一代全面成才的必由之路。     

诉讼证明标准的再认识

自从人类社会产生以来,人类在解决各种矛盾和纠纷的过程中,探求事实真相一直是各个社会在处理各种矛盾和纠纷时追求的共同目标和判案标准。神灵裁判是古代社会人们在解决疑难案件时才采用的一种方法,占主导地位的判案方法则是探求案件事实真相,循实情而断案。在事实探知模式方面人类经历了以直觉经验为主的模糊真实,到以理性经验为主的形式真实,再到规则意识较强的法律真实的发展过程。我国应建立法律真实的证明标准,在民事诉讼中对疑难案件的处理采取盖然性占优势的证明标准。     

Windows帮助系统的设计及实现

本首先对Windows两种帮助系统的结构进行了分析。然后从软件工程的角度提出了Windows帮助系统的设计思想。最后以hlp帮助系统为例详细阐述了帮助系统的的实现技术。