The Identification and Decomposition of Hierarchical Tasks

The definition of hierarchical structure is reviewed, together with psychometric and experimental evidence regarding the existence of specific structures. Exceptions to hierarchical ordering are frequent enough to merit consideration of an assumption that skill on an item may simply transfer to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American educational research journal 1977-05, Vol.14 (3), p.189-212
Main Authors: Cotton, John W., Gallagher, John P., Marshall, Sandra P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children
Education
Educational research
Experimentation
Hierarchies
Learning
Learning theory
Preschool children
Psychometrics
Science learning
Training
Transfer of training
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Summary:The definition of hierarchical structure is reviewed, together with psychometric and experimental evidence regarding the existence of specific structures. Exceptions to hierarchical ordering are frequent enough to merit consideration of an assumption that skill on an item may simply transfer to the next higher item rather than being fully prerequisite to it. In some cases an alternate route hierarchy may occur, with persons either learning an item and then the next item or learning both at the same time. A mathematical model including hierarchical and nonhierarchical options for a two-component task is presented; an experimental design appropriate to testing the model and related transfer hypotheses is also presented.
ISSN:0002-8312
1935-1011
DOI:10.3102/00028312014003189