SMILE Maker: A Web-Based Tool for Problem Solving

This paper focuses on the purposes, theoretical model, and functionality of the SMILE (Solution Mapping Intelligent Learning Environment) Maker--a World Wide Web-based problem-solving tool. From an instructional design point of view, an attempt to establish a balance between constructivism/instructivism, content-treatment interaction/aptitude-treatment interaction, and user locus of control/system locus of control is made. The model behind the SMILE Maker consists of four sub-models (user, content, instructional,events,.and facilitator), each built from four components. A new concept mapping method that has been developed and experimentally validated is described. Four instructional scenarios--ready-made, tailor-made, self-made, and atelier--are discussed. (Contains 14 references.) (Author/MES) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. SMILE Maker: A Web-Based Tool for Problem Solving Svetoslav Stoyanov', Lora Aroyo', Piet Kommers' and Ivan Kurtev2 'Department of Educational Science and Technology, University of Twente, The Netherlands {stoyanov, aroyo, kommers } @edte.utwente.nl Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Sofia, Bulgaria [email protected] Abstract: This paper focuses on the purposes, theoretical model and functionality of the SMILE Maker a web-based problem-solving tool. From instructional design point of view, an attempt to established a balance between constructivism/ instructivism, content-treatment interaction/aptitude-treatment interaction, and user locus of control/system locus of control has been made. The model behind the SMILE Maker consists of four sub-models: user, content, instructional events and facilitator as each of them is being built up from four components. A new concept mapping method has been developed and experimentally validated. Four instructional scenarios are being discussed. This paper focuses on the purposes, theoretical model and functionality of the SMILE Maker a web-based problem-solving tool. From instructional design point of view, an attempt to established a balance between constructivism/ instructivism, content-treatment interaction/aptitude-treatment interaction, and user locus of control/system locus of control has been made. The model behind the SMILE Maker consists of four sub-models: user, content, instructional events and facilitator as each of them is being built up from four components. A new concept mapping method has been developed and experimentally validated. Four instructional scenarios are being discussed.