The Third International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Education

As Soloway attracted over 400 pnrticipants from all of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Penn., described the changes in what he felt over the world who gathered to present 8-10 May 1987. The conference the construction of mechanisms and concerning AI and education This article cochairmen, Stellan Ohlsson and explanations last year to the design of presents a synopsis of the major Jeff Bonar, also gave brief welcomes to artifacts today, he was clearly giving presentations and an overview the participants. With so about transference, leading Soloway many attendees from abroad (The to conclude that transference is not Netherlands, Japan, Canada, West the ultimate goal for teaching and Germany, England, Sweden, France, tutoring programming. Instead, the and Hong Kong were all represented concern should be for the development by speakers), the international flavor of synthesis skills and "highorder of the conference was well established. The obvious disappointment This model does not vary significantly of the audience could be from standard software engineering felt. However, instead of giving the opening address, "Programming requiring these steps be followed in a as Artifact Design." This change strict order, Soloway contends that worked out well because Soloway the way real programmers work best acted like a cheerleader, getting the is to bounce from one stage to another crowd fired up about the subject of AI as the need arises. WINTER 1987 97 Andy di Sessa, in his talk "Social much rigidity has recently been the differences between beginner and Niches for Future Software," focused imposed on programmers by the engi-expert. Finally, Wender suggested that on the need to provide a medium neering approach. He demonstrated him, one could easily mistake him for teacher. Some of the kinds of software he felt should ... He considers current applications to be "the He also suggested that "current programming is to synthesis as a hammer is to a thumb. Each is as likely to challenge to the computer science der was echoed by Ben du Boulay in cause pain as [it is] to get the job community to develop higher-level "What Should a Programming Environment done." The Like?" Bonar's comment in his opening Beyond the usual categories supplied emphasis should be on synthesis welcome that we are "on the verge by the conference structure, several skills for designing, generating, and of a breakthrough" in developing themes linked many of the papers evaluating alternative artifacts that tutoring systems concerned du and presentations.