Subgoal label
Definition
A subgoal label names the purpose of a group of solution steps so a learner can recognize that purpose in another problem.
Explanation
A label such as “locate the first divergence” tells a student what the action is for. The same purpose can appear in different examples even when the notation or surface details change.
The AI literacy materials use labels in reference boxes, worked examples, and practice tasks. That design is intended to connect the example with a procedure the student can use. Repetition alone does not establish that a label identifies a meaningful subgoal.
Research on subgoal-labeled worked examples motivates this design. Results depend on the task and instructional conditions: Morrison and colleagues’ 2015 computing study reported mixed findings. Those results should not be treated as evidence that the procedures here improve AI literacy.
Scope and evidence
Subgoal labeling predates this study. The cited computing literature is background for the instructional design, while the classroom preprint describes its application here.
Sources
Related concepts
Hallucination autopsy procedure · Strong prompt structure · Collaborative prompting