Model-Based Diagnosis for Regulative Support in Inquiry Learning

We discuss the use of models of inquiry processes, such as SDDS and the inquiry cycle for the generation of support on the regulation of these processes. It is argued that such scaffolding must be adaptive as too much scaffolding can actually hinder learning. A major problem encountered is the “paradox of adaptive scaffolding”. In order to make scaffolding adaptive, the system needs to gather information about the learners’ progress. In order to collect this information, often many learner actions are made explicit in the environment, a measure that is a scaffold itself. We discuss a few means of minimizing this unintended scaffolding, using less obtrusive methods for obtaining learner information, and present an example of how such information can be used to support learners in monitoring their progress.