Epistemology of problem solving and an annotation framework for collaborative problem solving environments

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2015
Kaya, Tunç Güven
Problem solving can be summarized as the activities that a subject performs when confronted with a problem. The behavioral and cognitive processes underlying these activities have been first studied by psychologists and then cognitive scientists since the beginning of the 20th century. The studies mostly focused on the psychology, philosophy and AI perspectives of problem solving activity. However, epistemological and collaborrative aspects of human problem solving have not been emphasized in related cognitive science literature. This thesis aims to investigate the underlying epistemological concepts of problem solving activity of human subjects. The formulations and definitions of problem solving related terms will be explicated and some problem solving related phenomena which were discovered by the scientists will be investigated in terms of epistemology. Moreover, the experimental environments for observing the problem solving activities of individuals and groups will be introduced to the reader along with an annotation framework which was designed for these problem solving environments. The importance of the framework comes from its event-based structure and its sensitivity for the epistemological aspects of human problem solving. In the case study, it will be demonstrated that the gist of the problem solving sessions can mostly be captured by the framework.

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Citation Formats
T. G. Kaya, “Epistemology of problem solving and an annotation framework for collaborative problem solving environments,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2015.