Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society

Computer-based simulations are a valuable teaching tool because they permit a learner to explore a phenomenon on his o w n and to learn from his mistakes. T w o factors, however, limit the use of computer simulations in teaching: good simulations are hard to build and learners can flounder with just a simulation. W e have built HeRMiT^, a case-based tutor that integrates a simulation with a library of videotaped stories. The stories make up for any lack of depth or fidelity in the simulation by facilitating the generalization and application of underlying principles.