APPLYING KNOWLEDGE REASONING PATH TO PROBLEM DESIGN FOR
CHEMISTRY INSTRUCTION
Gaihui Dong
Kaicheng Yang
School of Education Technology, Beijing Normal
University
School of Education Technology, Beijing Normal
University
bnudong@163.com
yangkc_beijing@tom.com
ABSTRACT
Instructional design should be a technical process. This
paper focuses on problem design which is the most
important operation in instructional design, puts forward a
technology based on knowledge reasoning path and
shows its technical process with examples on chemistry
instruction of middle school.
technology of problem design based on knowledge
reasoning path. The following shows the technical
process with examples on chemistry instruction of middle
school.
KEY WORDS
Instructional design,
reasoning path
Problem
design,
Knowledge
2. The operational process of problem design
for chemistry instruction
The operational process of problem design based on
knowledge reasoning path is as follows (see Figure 1).
Select one existed problem
1. Introduction
Automated instructional design system helps to ease labor
of designers and decrease repetitive operations in design
process. Such a system should be able to help designers
make a decision according to the basic information
provided by them. Therefore, the instructional design
process adopted by an automated instructional design
system should be a technical process.
The ultimate goal of instructional design is to build a
instructional system to meet the requirements. Here, we
think a learning activity , which includes learning
objectives, activity tasks, organization form, interactive
mode, evaluation criteria, etc., as the basic unit of
instructional system. And learning resources and learning
environments are the components which provide support
services for learning activities. [1]And therefore the
instructional design is a process which consists of
constructing knowledge modeling according to learning
objectives, designing activity tasks and learning activities
based on characteristics of learners and learning
resources, combining them into an instructional plan.
During this process, designing appropriate activity task
according to specific knowledge is the most important
operation.
Problem-solving is an important kind of activity task.
This paper focuses on problem design and puts forward a
Analyze the reactant
s, resultants and reaction principles
involved in
the problem
Construct the knowledge reasoning path of the problem
Transform theknowledge reasoning path
according to learning
objects
Check the integrality of
knowledge reasoning path
N
Y
Identifythe sequences of operators in knowledge reasoning path
Design new problem with
sequences of operators
Figure 1 The Operational Process of Problem Design Based on
Knowledge Reasoning Path.
The followings will show the details of operation
through an example .
2.1 Select one existed problem
Question No.1:
The following figure shows an experimental plan put
forward by a student to make Mg3N2 (Supposing the air
has been purged before the experiment).
The integrality of knowledge reasoning path is the
precondition to design a new problem. Therefore, it is
necessary for us to classify the nodes into three types
firstly to check the integrality .
Please write down the reaction principles involved in this
plan.
2.2 Analyze the reactants, resultants and reaction
principles involved in the problem
NH4Cl
NH3
CuO
NH3、N2
White lime
H2O (High Temperature) H2O
(Heat)
PF1
Oil of
vitriol
N2
Mg
(High Temperature)
PF3、PF4、PF5
PF2
……
(1) A leaf node is the node which has single arc.
(2) An intermediate node is the node which has not less
than two arcs. To any knowledge reasoning path, if we
can identify all the leaf nodes, the rest are all the
intermediate nodes.
(3) A terminal node is the node which has only in-arcs.
That is to say, it can be leaf node or intermediate node.
Figure 3 shows the differences among the three types
of nodes.
PF6
PF1
2NH4Cl+Ca(OH)2===CaCl2+2NH3↑+2H2O
PF2
3CuO+2NH3====3Cu+N2↑+3H2O
PF3
2NH3+H2SO4==(NH4)2SO4
PF6
3Mg+N2=====Mg3N2
White
lime
Heat
High
Temperature
PF1:2NH4Cl+Ca(OH)2====CaCl2+2NH3↑+2H2O
High
Temperature
NH3
H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
High Tempreture
N2
2.3 Construct the knowledge reasoning path of the
problem
A knowledge reasoning path is a directed graph consisted
of nodes, operators and reaction conditions. Here, a node
is the reactant or resultant and shown as ; an operator
is the reaction principle and shown as
; reaction
condition is shown as
. Operators, reactants,
resultants and reaction conditions are connected by arcs.
Resu
-ltant
reaction principle
reaction
condition
and
reaction principle
reaction principle
White
lime
,
.
NH4Cl
NH3
CaCl2
PF4:Oil of vitriol react vigorously with
H2O
H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
High Tempreture
PF2: 3CuO+2NH3====3Cu+N2↑+3H2O
N2
Cu
PF3:2NH3+H2SO4==(NH4)2SO4
Oil of
vitriol
PF5:Oil of vitriol react vigorously with
H2O
Oil of
vitriol
PF5:Oil of vitriol react vigorously with
H2O
H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
Mg
High
Tempreture
High Tempreture
PF6:3Mg+N2=====Mg3N2
Mg3N2
Figure 3 Three Types of Nodes in Knowledge Reasoning Path (1).
Any knowledge reasoning path with integrality should
satisfy the following two conditions:
(1) The knowledge reasoning path is a connected
graph. There isn’t any isolating node or operator.
(2) Terminal nodes don’t combine with each other
chemically or can’t react with each other.
2.5 Identify the sequences of operators in knowledge
reasoning path
PF1:2NH4Cl+Ca(OH)2====CaCl2+2NH3↑+2H2O
CuO
Cu
PF3:2NH3+H2SO4==(NH4)2SO4
[Notice] ①Leaf node is shown as “shadow circle”. ②Terminal node
is shown as “bicircular circle”. ③Intermediate node is shown with
no specific mark.
Figure 2 is the knowledge reasoning path of Question
No.1.
Heat
PF4:Oil of vitriol react vigorously with
H2O
PF2: 3CuO+2NH3====3Cu+N2↑+3H2O
[Notice] PF is short for Principle and Formula.
Reac
-tant
CaCl2
CuO
PF4 PF5 Oil of vitriol react vigorously with H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
There are three kinds of connection:
NH4Cl
Knowledge reasoning path describes the conversion
relations between substances in chemistry. The ubiquitous
relations between substances in nature make the
sequences of operators are no longer simple linear
sequences, and become a directed acyclic graph.
H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
Mg
High
Tempreture
High Tempreture
PF6:3Mg+N2=====Mg3N2
Mg3N2
Figure 4 shows the relations between operators in
Figure 2.
PF6
Figure 2 Knowledge Reasoning Path (1).
PF2
2.4 Check the integrality of knowledge reasoning path
PF1
PF3
PF4
PF5
Figure 4 Relations between Operators in Knowledge Reasoning Path
(1).
In this case, starting with any operator without in-arc,
we can sort the operators in the knowledge reasoning path
one by one according to topology sorting algorithm with
the help of relations between operators, and finally we
will get several different sequences of operators.
Question No.3:[2]
The following figure shows an experimental plan put
forward by a student to make Mg3N2 (Supposing the air
has been purged before the experiment).
Generally speaking, as to one specific knowledge
reasoning path, there are only 1 or 2 sequences of
operators are right. That is to say, they can be true of fact.
However, those unreasonable sequences are also useful.
They are just the important basis of activating thinking of
designers, giving the inspiration of designers and helping
designers design more new problems.
The following shows some sequences of operators in
figure 4:
①PF1→PF2→PF3→PF4→PF5→PF6
②PF1→PF2→PF3→PF4→PF6→PF5
③PF1→PF2→PF3→PF5→PF6→PF4
④PF1→PF2→PF3→PF6→PF5→PF4
⑤PF1→PF2→PF4→PF3→PF5→PF6
⑥PF1→PF2→PF4→PF3→PF6→PF5
⑦PF1→PF2→PF5→PF6→PF3→PF4
⑧PF1→PF2→PF6→PF5→PF4→PF3
⑨PF1→PF3→PF2→PF5→PF6→PF4
⑩PF1→PF3→PF4→PF2→PF5→PF6
……
Apparently, only sequences ① and ⑤ are true of fact.
2.6 Design new problem with sequences of operators
Sequence ⑩ (PF1→PF3→PF4→PF2→PF5→PF6 ) is not
true of fact, and it is considerably puzzled to students. So
we can get a new analysis and evaluating problem by
sequence ⑩.
Please analyze whether or not A and B can make Mg 3N2
and explain reasons..
2.7 Transform the knowledge
according to the learning objects
reasoning
path
Except for designing new problem with existed
knowledge reasoning path, we can also transform it (such
as add, delete or modify some knowledge) according to
the learning objects to get a new one.
(1) Transforming knowledge reasoning path by “adding
operators”
Adding operator PF7 “CuSO4+5H2O=CuSO4·5H2O” and
nodes “CuSO4”, “CuSO4·5H2O” via intermediate node
“H2O” and construct their relations to get a new one (see
Figure 5).
White
lime
Heat
NH4Cl
PF1:2NH4Cl+Ca(OH)2====CaCl2+2NH3↑+2H2O
NH3
Question No.2:
The following figure shows an experimental plan put
forward by a student to make Mg3N2 (Supposing the air
has been purged before the experiment).
CaCl2
PF4:Oil of vitriol react vigorously with
H2O
H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
CuO
High Tempreture
PF2: 3CuO+2NH3====3Cu+N2↑+3H2O
N2
Cu
Oil of
vitriol
PF3:2NH3+H2SO4=(NH4)2SO4
PF5:Oil of vitriol react vigorously with
H2O
H2O to make a series of steady hydrates
Mg
High
Tempreture
High Tempreture
PF6:3Mg+N2=====Mg3N2
Mg3N2
PF7: CuSO4+5H2O===CuSO4·5H2O
CuSO4
CuSO4
·5H2O
Figure 5 Knowledge Reasoning Path (2).
[Notice] The added knowledge is shown as “dotted line”.
Please analyze whether or not it can be make Mg 3N2 and
explain reasons.
In addition, we can get a new contrast and analysis
problem by sequence ① and ⑩.
Figure 6 shows the relations between operators in
Figure 5.
PF7
PF6
PF2
熟石灰
Heat
NH4Cl
PF1:2NH4Cl+Ca(OH)2====CaCl2+2NH3↑+2H2O
PF5
NH3
PF1
CaCl2
H2O
CuO
PF3
High Tempreture
PF2: 3CuO+2NH3====3Cu+N2↑+3H2O
PF4
N2
Figure 6 Relations between Operators in Knowledge Reasoning Path
(2).
Here, we can get a sequence of operators
“PF1→PF2→PF3→PF4→PF5→PF7→PF6” and design a
new improvement and perfection problem as follows.
Question No.4:
The following figure shows an experimental plan put
forward by a student to make Mg3N2 (Supposing the air
has been purged before the experiment).
Please analyze the deficiency of the experimental plan
and put forward improved advices.
(2) Transforming knowledge reasoning path by “deleting
operators”
In order to examine whether students understand “How
does ‘H2O’ will affect experiment result”, we can delete
operator PF4. Meanwhile, PF3 and PF5 will also be deleted
because they have the same reactant (oil of vitriol) (see
Figure 7).
熟石灰
Heat
CaCl2
H2O
CuO
High Tempreture
PF2: 3CuO+2NH3====3Cu+N2↑+3H2O
N2
Cu
H2O
Mg
High
Tempreture
H2O
Mg(O
H)2
Mg
High
Tempreture
High Tempreture
PF6:3Mg+N2=====Mg3N2
Mg3N2
PF8:Mg3N2+6H2O===3Mg(OH)2↓+2NH3↑
Figure 8 Knowledge Reasoning Path (4).
We can also design new problem based on the new
knowledge reasoning path (see Figure 8). We will not
enumerate examples one by one for lack of space.
3. Conclusion
The technology of problem design based on knowledge
reasoning path using specific knowledge as a point of
departure, having objective and normative operational
process, and paying full attention to the important effect
of knowledge, experience and creation of designers on
instruction design, can be a instructive theory for the
development of automated instructional design tool, and
prompts designers to concentrate their energies on the
most scientific, creative and technical instructional
contents.
In the future, we will popularize this technology to
users , further amend and perfect it accroding to the
feedback, and finally develop an automated instructional
design system. As we know, such technical process of ID
as the one focused by this paper, is the base of developing
an automated instructional design system.
NH4Cl
PF1:2NH4Cl+Ca(OH)2====CaCl2+2NH3↑+2H2O
NH3
Cu
High Tempreture
PF6:3Mg+N2=====Mg3N2
Mg3N2
Figure 7 Knowledge Reasoning Path (3).
As to any new knowledge reasoning path, we should
first check its integrity. In Figure 7, terminal node
“Mg3N2” will react with terminal node “H2O” in normal
temperature. Therefore, we must add new operator PF8
“Mg3N2+6H2O=3Mg(OH)2↓+2NH3↑”, node “Mg(OH)2”
and construct their relations to get a new one (see Figure
8).
References
[1] Kaicheng Yang, learning activity-centered
instructional design theory (Beijing: Publishing House of
Electronics industry, 2005).
[2] Botao Song, Explanation and test of chemistry in
middle school (Beijing: China Youth Press, 1999).