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Rapid Learning in a Children's Museum via Analogical Comparison
Author(s) -
Gentner Dedre,
Levine Susan C.,
Ping Raedy,
Isaia Ashley,
Dhillon Sonica,
Bradley Claire,
Honke Garrett
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.498
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1551-6709
pISSN - 0364-0213
DOI - 10.1111/cogs.12248
Subject(s) - analogical reasoning , brace , context (archaeology) , diagonal , key (lock) , psychology , computer science , analogy , artificial intelligence , cognitive science , cognitive psychology , mathematics education , engineering , mathematics , linguistics , history , archaeology , philosophy , mechanical engineering , geometry , computer security
We tested whether analogical training could help children learn a key principle of elementary engineering—namely, the use of a diagonal brace to stabilize a structure. The context for this learning was a construction activity at the Chicago Children's Museum, in which children and their families build a model skyscraper together. The results indicate that even a single brief analogical comparison can confer insight. The results also reveal conditions that support analogical learning.