An Approach to Analyzing the Role and Structure of Reflective Dialogue

Sandra Katz (1) , Gabriel O'Donnell (1) , Heather Kay (1)

1 LRDC - Learning Research and Development Center

Several intelligent tutoring systems contain modules that support reflection after practice exercises. However, there is very little research on reflective dialogue and its relation to dialogue during problem solving that can guide this effort. The approach to analyzing educational dialogue described in this paper was developed to address this problem. Using statistical and machine learning methods, we compared the frequency and structure of speech acts by avionics students and experts during practice exercises with speech acts during a post-practice reflective discussion (PPR). There were several differences. For example, the percentage of student requests for explanations about how the electronic system works and of self-explanations was higher during PPR than during problem solving. We also investigated the relationship between when a misconception was addressed÷during problem solving, during post-practice reflection, or distributed between the two phases÷and whether a misconception was eliminated. Misconceptions were more likely to be resolved if they were addressed during problem solving and PPR than during problem solving alone. These results suggest that PPR can play an important role in instructing students in the conceptual knowledge underlying strategic tasks, and hence support the inclusion of reflective activities in intelligent tutoring systems. (http://aied.inf.ed.ac.uk/members00/archive/vol_11/katz/full.html)

Keywords: educational dialogues; instructional dialogues

Domains: Technology for Human Learning

Sandra Katz, Gabriel O'Donnell, Heather Kay. An Approach to Analyzing the Role and Structure of Reflective Dialogue. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2000, 11, pp.320-343. ⟨hal-00197333⟩