Design of Multi-Agent Based Intelligent Tutoring Systems

Abstract

Design of Multi-Agent Based Intelligent Tutoring SystemsResearch of two fields, namely agent oriented software engineering and intelligent tutoring systems, have to be taken into consideration, during the design of multi-agent based intelligent tutoring systems (ITS). Thus there is a need for specific approaches for agent based ITS design, which take into consideration main ideas from both fields. In this paper we propose a top down design approach for multi-agent based ITSs. The proposed design approach consists of the two main stages: external design and internal design of agents. During the external design phase the behaviour of agents and interactions among them are designed. The following steps are done: task modelling and task allocation to agents, use case map creation, agent interaction design, ontology creation and holon design. During the external design phase agents and holons are defined according to the holonic multi-agent architecture for ITS development. During the internal design stage the internal structure of agents is specified. The internal structure of each agent is represented in the specific diagram, called internal view of the agent, consisting of agent's actions and interactions among them, rules for incoming message and perception processing, incoming and outgoing messages, and beliefs of the agent. The proposed approach is intended to be a part of the full life cycle methodology for multi-agent based ITS development. The approach is developed using the same concepts as JADE agent platform and is suitable for agent code generation from the design diagrams.

Further Development of Information Technology Transfer Concept for Adaptation and Exploitation of European Research Results in the Baltic Sea Region Countries

“…This is considered a platform for planning and coordinating cargo flows between transport and logistics centers worldwide.  Open multi-agent methodology for intelligent tutoring system development [22]. The methodology called MASITS for the agent-based intelligent tutoring system development and the software tool that supports the proposed methodology.…”

Multi-Agent Based Intelligent Tutoring System Source Code Generation Using MASITS Tool

“…Agents and their behaviours are generated from corresponding internal views of agents. For details of agent's internal view, see [17].…”

“…A use case map represents use case scenario in the form that interactions among agents are shown explicitly. After creating use case map only message content must be added to specify interactions (for details, see [17]). …”

“…Task-agent diagram is a task hierarchy with agents specified for each task. Tasks are created according to the steps of use case scenarios (for details, see [17]). …”