Representing semantic knowledge with 2-dimensional rules in the domain of functional programming

Abstract

One of the many difficult problems in the development of intelligent computer aided instruction (ICAI) is the appropriate design of instructions and helps. This paper adresses the question of optimizing instructional and help material concerning the operational knowledge for the visual, functional programming language ABSYNT (ABstract SYNtax Trees). The ultimate goal of the project is to build a problem solving monitor (PSM) for this language and the corresponding programming environment. The PSM should analyse the blueprints of the students, give comments and proposals (SLEEMAN & HENDLEY, 1982). First, we will explain our motivation for choosing this domain of discourse. Second, we will shortly present the programming environment of ABSYNT. Third, we represent the development of two alternative 2-D-rulesets (appendix A, B), which describe the operational semantics of the ABSYNT interpreter. The development of the 2-D-rules was guided by cognitive psychology and cognitive engineering aspects and results of an empirical study. The study showed that the rules were comprehensible even for computer novices.