Constructing mental representation of reference by feedback in a computer system

This study reports on the design of a computer system which helps English as a Foreign Language (EFL) college students construct a mental representation of reference in reading. Three modules, User Interface, Recording, and Feedback, are implemented. The feedback module compares students’ initial maps with that of an expert while students are constructing their mental maps. It then provides three candidate references for each referential device that needs correction back to students when they encounter difficulties figuring out the relationship between two words. This system aims to identify and understand how students perform and what thinking process is involved in reading. Results showed that more proficient readers integrated referential words in different parts of a text to form a coherent network of textual information, whereas less-proficient readers had difficulty constructing them. Negative correlations between feedback frequency and the number of errors and between feedback frequency and the missed rate of referring were also found. In other words, when students asked for more feedbacks, their percentage of incorrect and missed references decreased. Some recommendations for future improvement are discussed. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.