Difference Visualization to Pull the Trigger of Reflection

In this paper, we propose a framework for scaffolding conflict awareness to pull the trigger of reflection in a metacognitive process. If a learner only monitors his/her action or results of it, he/she may not reflect them. When a learner finds something strange, the learner is motivated to carry out the reflection. To feel its strangeness, the learner should know the normal situation. Then the learner finds the difference between the observed thing and the normal thing he/she knows. The difference should also be significant for him/her. In short, when a learner is aware of a problem in his/her action or results, he/she motivates to reflect his/her knowledge. We call the awareness "Conflict Awareness". To visualize the difference is a promising approach to scaffolding the conflict awareness. In this paper, we propose Error-Based Simulation (EBS) as a method to visualize the difference targeting erroneous equations in physics problems. Control of the visualization is also described.