The role of metacognitive skills in learning to solve problems

24
The problem solver has declarative knowledge about the domain at
its disposal. This domain-dependent component holds relevant task and
problem solving activities. Various cognitive activities are employed
by the problem solver such as defining the problem, deciding which
(sub)problem to work on, reasoning and evaluating the solution.
The dialogue processor contains knowledge about different types of
dialogue acts and the communicative functions thereof. With the knowledge
of the dialogue processor, the learner knows how to hand over
knowledge to the partner and how to obtain knowledge. For instance,
the dialogue processor decides upon the form and function of the dialogue
act based upon specific dialogue goals such as confirming, rejecting
or accepting the information transfer of the partner.
The alter component contains a model of the partner with whom
problem solving is undertaken. The model contains information about
which activities the partner recently has undertaken, the goals of the
partner and his or her expectations.
The CFP contains rules and procedures. The CFP is the gateway of
interaction between the other components and it controls and monitors
the information exchange with the external world. It decides how the information
in the other components should be combined and which information
should be communicated to the human problem solving partner.
It generates goal structures for the other components.
The interaction component is the door to the external world that
translates internal representations and goals into verbal communication.
It is a natural language interface that connects the partner to the system.
It also translates incoming information into internal representations that
can be processed by the central focusing processor and the other components.
Some issues that follow from the implementation of the model in the
simulation are worth mentioning with respect to metacognition. The
problem solver aims at solving the problem in a domain-dependent way.
However, its functionality is based on a compiled model (such as described
by Mettes & Pilot and Hamel) of problem solving with generic
activities such as checking whether subproblems still exist or deciding
which subproblem to solve next.
Erkens argues that the CFP is the metacognitive heart of the model,
its function concerns coordinating and delegating tasks to the various
components. In order to do this the CFP either reacts on or initiates
a dialogue. This functionality, too, is concerned with regulating behaviour
of the system. One could argue that it therefore also resembles
a compiled task model.