This paper presents a project the goal of which is to develop ASPIRE, a complete authoring and deployment environment for constraintbased intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs). ASPIRE is based on our previous work on constraint-based tutors and WETAS, the tutoring shell. ASPIRE consists of the authoring server (ASPIRE-Author), which enables domain experts to easily develop new constraint-base tutors, and a tutoring server (ASPIRE-Tutor), which deploys the developed systems. Preliminary evaluation shows that ASPIRE is successful in producing domain models, but more thorough evaluation is planned.
Abstract. We present ERM-Tutor, a constraint-based tutor that teaches logical database design (i.e. mapping conceptual to logical database schemas). Students practice this procedural task in ERM-Tutor by solving each step and receiving feedback on their solutions. We also present a new feature added to the system, which enables students to ask free-form questions. A preliminary evaluation carried out on ERM-Tutor investigated how students use free-form questions, and provided promising results. We plan to perform a bigger study in early 2006.
Abstract. Rapid and widespread development of computerised learning tools have proven the need for further exploration of the learners' personal characteristics in order to maximise the use of the current technology. In particular, this paper looks at the potential of accounting for spatial ability in ERM-Tutor; a constraint-based tutor that teaches logical database design. Our evaluation study shows no conclusive results to support a difference in effectiveness of the textual versus multimedia feedback presentation modes with respect to the students' spatial ability. However, we observed a number of trends indicating that matching the instruction presentation mode towards the students' spatial ability influences their perception of the system and motivation to use it, more than their learning gain.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.