Upload
patrick-may
View
217
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Circuit Tutor®:Prototype of a Mobile Web-based
Intelligent Tutoring System
Tochi Nwachukwu
Brian Butz and Tochi Nwachukwu
Intelligent Systems Application Center (ISAC)
Intelligent Tutoring Systems
An Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) is any computer system that delivers: • direct customized direction • instruction and feedback to the user• without the involvement of an actual person
Mobile Interface vs. Desktop InterfaceMobile Desktop
Input Small KeyboardMultiple Characters/Keys
Full-size standard keyboard
Interface 3.5-4.5 inch [phones] & 9 inch [tablets] displaySingle-Window design
17+ inch display Multi-Window design
Connectivity Cellular (3G or 4G LTE)/Wi-Fi Ethernet [LAN]/Wi-Fi
Usage Seconds-to-Minutes of useAnytime and Anywhere
Minutes-to-Hours of useClassroom/ Computer Labs
Processors Usually Single/Dual Core Processors Dual/Quad Core Processors
Design Questions• “Does shorter, yet more frequent use of mobile
tutors provide equivalent learning gains compared to longer, yet less frequent, desktop tutor use?”
• “What types of problems are best suited for short and frequent tutor use?”
• “Are the learning gains of the mobile tutor equal to those of the desktop tutor?”
• “Should the ITS app be web-based or native?”
Circuit Tutor®• Objective– develop the prototype of a mobile web-based
intelligent tutoring system (called Circuit Tutor)
• Design– using client-side and server-side scripting tools – HTML5,
DHTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript (handles mathematical computation), PHP (dynamically generated web pages) and Lectora® (Authoring tool).
• Device– iPad® running iOS 4.3 or better– Also runs on iPhone 4 and above
Subsystems
Main Modules• Processing power: Desktop devices > Mobile devices
• Circuit Tutor® will be designed to accommodate that limitation.
• Therefore, NO complex architecture with numerous modules
• Three main units/modules that constantly interact with each other:
The Curriculum UnitThe Problem UnitThe Strategy/Execution Unit
Curriculum Unit• Each section covers a different area of the
undergraduate electrical engineering curriculum (e.g. Equivalent Resistance, Ohm’s Law, Kirchhoff’s Laws [KVL & KCL])
• Every section and subsection consists of different learning objectives
Problem Unit
• This includes questions, answers, and the appropriate knowledge components necessary to solve the questions.
• Problems include:– In-chapter problems (Hints, Feedback etc)– End-of-chapter problems (Knowledge Assessment)– Example problems
Problem Unit• The use of Brown’s Hierarchical Design
method to present problems:
Makes it easy for the ITS to identify the user’s problem area
Determine what next course of action to take
• Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) Method for difficulty level adjustment
Brown’s Hierarchical Design Method
• Information is presented to the users:
– are organized in a tree-like fashion,– grouping natural problem solving steps together
on one screen,– thereby allowing the user to answer questions in a
sequenced fashion.
KVL Sample Problem
• What is the voltage across R1?• Every section and subsection consists of different
learning objectives:– First, find the equivalent resistance for R3 and R4? [Learning
Objective I]– Next, determine the KVL equation around the closed circuit.
[Learning Objective II]– Finally, solve for the voltage across R1. [Learning Objective
III]
Strategy/Execution Unit• The strategy unit consists of tutor strategies
and the agenda. Different tutor strategies can make a single problem behave in different fashions.
• This unit will allow for the high-level control of problems and the provision of flow control between problems
Guidelines for Mobile ITS DesignNavigation Minimize the amount of
navigation required by the user to answer questions.
Eliminate navigation required to view entire application screen.
Eliminate need to find support information to utilize the tutoring system.
Guidelines for Mobile ITS Design
Consistency & Compatibility
Interaction with application components should have consistent functions across screens, between and during problems
Interaction required should be compatible with the hardware running the ITS (for example, touch screen using fingers or stylus).
User Session (Username)
Initial Difficulty Level
Pre-Assessment Test
Pre-Assessment Test
Student Placement
Learning Stage (Hints)
End of Learning Stage
Student Knowledge Validation• Two methods are adopted in the prototype
assessment test:
– Hierarchical Design Method (Pinpoint problem area based on Learning Objectives)
– Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) Method• Some of the CAT Models examined: GRE, GMAT,
NAPLEX (Pharmacy Test), Linacre’s Dichotomous CAT Test Model
Prototype ITS Assessment Test• Three difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, Difficult
• Each question in the test has a difficulty level and learning objective associated with it (L1D1, L2D2 etc.)
• Starts with Easy difficulty level
• Difficulty level increases only after a set of questions are answered correctly
• Eventually the prototype ITS test will stay at a certain difficulty level
Assessment Test Screen
Assessment Test Screen
Difficulty Increase
Detailed Score Report
Detailed Score Report
Score Interpretation
Circuit Tutor Set-up and Interface• Ad-hoc or FTP connection:– Enter the web link into the mobile browser– The IP address of the server hosting the application is
entered as the web address.
Circuit Tutor Set-up and Interface• Add to home screen:
Circuit Tutor Set-up and Interface• Icon added to homepage