Mental-Model Probe Interview Flow¶
Run the Mental-Model Probe Interview Fullscreen
About This MicroSim¶
This flowchart shows a branching interview protocol for diagnosing a learner's mental model. It starts with a prediction prompt, then branches based on the learner's answer -- correct, incorrect, or hedged -- into follow-up probes (mechanism, counterfactual, or boundary). Each branch leads to a diagnostic label (runnable correct model, verbal rule without model, stable misconception, fragile partial model, or no model) and a recommended next instructional move. Blue nodes are prompts, yellow diamonds are decisions, orange nodes are diagnostic labels, and green nodes are recommended actions.
Diagram Details¶
graph TD
START["Prediction Prompt: What will happen if...?"]:::prompt --> CORRECT{"Correct Prediction?"}:::decision
CORRECT -->|"Yes"| MECH["Mechanism Probe: Why does that happen?"]:::prompt
CORRECT -->|"No"| COUNTER["Counterfactual Probe: What would change if...?"]:::prompt
CORRECT -->|"Hedged / Uncertain"| BOUND["Boundary Probe: When would this not apply?"]:::prompt
MECH --> RUNNABLE["Runnable Correct Model"]:::diagnosis
MECH --> VERBAL["Verbal Rule Without Model"]:::diagnosis
COUNTER --> STABLE["Stable Misconception"]:::diagnosis
COUNTER --> FRAGILE["Fragile Partial Model"]:::diagnosis
BOUND --> FRAGILE2["Fragile Partial Model"]:::diagnosis
BOUND --> NOMODEL["No Model"]:::diagnosis
RUNNABLE --> MOVE1["Next: More retrieval practice"]:::move
VERBAL --> MOVE2["Next: Worked example"]:::move
STABLE --> MOVE3["Next: Dissonance-producing counterexample"]:::move
FRAGILE --> MOVE4["Next: Direct conceptual-change intervention"]:::move
FRAGILE2 --> MOVE4B["Next: Direct conceptual-change intervention"]:::move
NOMODEL --> MOVE5["Next: Foundational re-teaching with worked example"]:::move
classDef prompt fill:#4A90D9,stroke:#2C5F8A,color:#fff
classDef decision fill:#F0C75E,stroke:#D4A017,color:#333
classDef diagnosis fill:#E8795A,stroke:#C0392B,color:#fff
classDef move fill:#2D9C6F,stroke:#1E7A55,color:#fff