Interactive Computer Programs for Euciting Personal Models of the World

The Centre for the Study of Human Learn is interested in encouraging self-organisation in learning by helping people to investigate, expand and rebuild models for construing which will enable them to be more successful learners and users of experience. This paper describes how conversational methods are used which are content free, and which lend themselves superbly well to the realtime data processing of a computer. The application of these model building facilities has been in areas such as learning skills; psychotherapy and 'becoming'; management selection and development; industrial inspection and quality control; art and architecture; the maintenance of electronic equipment; career guidance and the training of counsellors; and in the education of both children and teachers. Conversations may take pJ ace between two , in a group of people, or within one person such as s' (1969) 'top dog' and f " or Pask's (1973) Ip Individuals'. Conversational tics have been embodied in content free computer programs which have the capacity to encourage and control conversation as rigorously and systematically as traditional experimental methods are monitored and controlled. In this context the Centre can be seen as a psycholo tool-making unit.