Two dominant theories of learning – empirical learning and explanation-based learning – are examined critically. It is proposed that analogy is the central mechanism of knowledge acquisition in formal domains. When learning a formula rule, an individual must interpret variables entailed in the rule. Since weak heuristics are not sufficient for variable interpretation and knowledge of the domain is not available to novices, knowledge of other domains must be relied on. Therefore, analogy can be regarded as a central mechanism in learning formal rules. Characteristics of the base analog used by novices are discussed. Experimental data on preschoolers knowledge of one-to-one correspondence and college students understanding of force decomposition suggest that the base domain is a thematically organized knowledge structure. Implications for current theories of analogy and conceptual change are conside
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