Skill Acquisition and the LISP Tutor

An onolysis of student learning with the LISP tutor indicates thot while LISP is complex, learning it is simple. The key to factoring out the complexity of LiSP is to monitor the leorning of the 500 productions in the LISP tutor which describe the progromming skill. The learning of these productions follows the power-low learning curve typical of skill acquisition. There is transfer from other progromming experience to the extent that this programming experience involves the some productions. Subjects oppeor to differ only on the general dimensions of how well they acquire the productions ond how well they retain the productions. lnstructionol monipulotions such OS remediotion, content of feedback. ond timing of feedback ore effective to the extent they give students more practice progromming, and explain to students why correct solutions work.