Publication: Rule acquisition events in the discovery of
problem solving strategies.
VanLehn, K. (1991). Rule acquisition events in the discovery of
problem solving strategies. Cognitive Science, 15(1), 1-48.
Although there are many machine-learning programs that can acquire new
problem-solving strategies, it is not known exactly how their
processes will manifest themselves in human behavior, if at all. In
order to find out, a line-by-line protocol analysis was conducted of
a subject discovering problem-solving strategies. A model was
developed that could explain 96% of the lines in the protocol. On
this analysis, the subject's learning was confined to 11 rule
acquisition events, wherein she temporarily abandoned her normal
problem solving and focused on improving her strategic knowledge.
Further analysis showed that: 1) Not all rule acquisition events are
triggered by impasses; 2) Rules are acquired gradually, both because
of competition between new and old rules, and because of the
subject's apparently deliberate policy of gradual generalization; 3)
This subject took a scientific approach to strategy discovery, even
planning and conducting small experiments.