Hazel Prover is a classroom proof assistant designed to help students learn mathematical induction, offering design insights on balancing tool support with effective learning and transfer to traditional methods.

In plain terms

In mathematics education, teaching complex proofs like structural induction is challenging because students need instant feedback and step-by-step guidance, which is hard to provide manually. While 'proof assistants'—software tools that help verify mathematical proofs—could offer this, they are often too complicated for students and don't always help them apply what they learn to pen-and-paper exams. Researchers developed "Hazel Prover," a new proof assistant specifically for classrooms, designed for teaching equational and inductive reasoning. They tested it in two classes, collecting detailed usage data, surveys, and exam responses. They found that students learned to use the tool effectively and improved their proof-writing skills. However, the first version of Hazel Prover, which gave too much assistance with simple algebraic steps, didn't help students transfer their skills to traditional pen-and-paper proofs. After redesigning the tool to require students to engage more actively with these basic steps, the second deployment showed much better transfer to traditional assessments.