Cognitive Models and Cognitive Tools in Educational Applications
Susanne P. Lajoie, Genevieve Gauthier and Carlos Nakamura
Cognitive tools are technological tools designed to support learners accomplish cognitive tasks (Jonassen, & Reeves, 1996; Lajoie, 2005; Salomon, Perkins, & Globerson, 1991). This paper describes how cognitive models serve as building blocks for the development of cognitive tools in the area of scientific and diagnostic reasoning. We first describe how we construct and validate cognitive models and then provide examples of cognitive tools to support scientific and diagnostic reasoning.