David Arnau

Domain-specific knowledge representation and inference engine for an intelligent tutoring system

One of the most challenging steps in learning algebra is the translation of word problems into symbolic notation. This paper describes an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) that focuses on this stage of the problem solving process. On the one hand, a domain specific inference engine and a knowledge representation mechanism are proposed. These are based on a description language based on hypergraphs, and the idea of using conceptual schemes to represent the students knowledge. As a result, the system is able to simultaneously: (a) represent all potential algebraic solutions to a given word problem; (b) keep track of the students actions; (c) univocally determine the current state of the resolution process; (d) build a student model; and (e) provide adaptive automatic remediation. On the other hand, the Graphical User Interface (GUI) has been designed to force the student to follow the sequence of steps described in the Cartesian method. The ITS has been evaluated in an educational environment. The results show significant gains for the experimental group and hence support the use of the ITS in practice.

Fundamentals of the design and the operation of an intelligent tutoring system for the learning of the arithmetical and algebraic way of solving word problems

Designers of interactive learning environments with a focus on word problem solving usually have to compromise between the amount of resolution paths that a user is allowed to follow and the quality of the feedback provided. We have built an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that is able to both track the users actions and provide adequate supervision during the resolution. This is done without imposing any restriction on the resolution paths that are allowed. Instead, the system attempts to enforce metacognitive learning by requiring an appropriate definition of quantities before they are used. The program (a) supports both the arithmetical and algebraic way of solving problems; (b) allows the recurrence to one or more equations when solving a problem in an algebraic way; (c) determines the validity of the expressions when they are introduced; and (d) admits the incorporation of new problems without the need of being reprogrammed. In this paper, we explain the design foundations, which are mainly based on (a) a reflection of the steps that a student should follow to solve a problem in an algebraic way, and (b) the use of a domain specific notation to represent both the problem structure and the current state of the resolution process. In particular, hypergraphs are introduced as an adequate way to support tracking in both the arithmetical and algebraic case. Moreover, we offer an extensive experimental evaluation which highlights the potential of the ITS as a learning tool.

Filtering of Spontaneous and Low Intensity Emotions in Educational Contexts

Affect detection is a challenging problem, even more in educational contexts, where emotions are spontaneous and usually subtle. In this paper, we propose a two-stage detection approach based on an initial binary discretization followed by a specific emotion prediction stage. The binary classification method uses several distinct sources of information to detect and filter relevant time slots from an affective point of view. An accuracy close to 75% at detecting whether the learner has felt an educationally relevant emotion on 20 second time slots has been obtained. These slots can then be further analyzed by a second classifier, to determine the specific user emotion.

Domain specific knowledge representation for an intelligent tutoring system to teach algebraic reasoning

Translation of word problems into symbolic notation is one of the most challenging steps in learning the algebraic method. This paper describes a domain-specific knowledge representation mechanism to support Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) which focus on this stage of the problem solving process. The description language proposed is based on the concept of a hypergraph and makes it possible to simultaneously a) represent all potential algebraic solutions to a given word problem; b) keep track of the students actions; c) provide automatic remediation; and d) unequivocally determine the current state of the resolution process. An experimental evaluation with students at a public school supports the use of the ITS in practice.

Adding sensor-free intention-based affective support to an Intelligent Tutoring System

Abstract Emotional factors considerably influence learning and academic performance. In this paper, we validate the hypothesis that learning platforms can adjust their response to have an effect on the learner’s pleasure, arousal and/or dominance, without using a specific emotion detection system during operation. To this end, we have enriched an existing Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) by designing a module that is able to regulate the level of help provided to maximize valence, arousal or autonomy as desired. The design of this module followed a two-stage methodology. In the first stage, the ITS was adapted to collect data from several groups of students in primary education, by providing a random level of help and adding an emotional self-report based on Self Assessment Manikins. Then, the collected data was used to learn a series of classifiers. In operation, self-reporting was removed and the classifiers were used to choose the most convenient help level in order to positively affect the target variables. The effectiveness of the system has been extensively evaluated in a real educational setting, showing that the added module is successful at acting on the chosen target variable in a controlled way.

Solving word problems algebraically in a spreadsheet environment in a primary school

This paper presents some results from an investigation into the teaching of the algebraic solving of word problems in a spreadsheet environment in the sixth grade of primary school in Spain (11-12 year old pupils). The main aim of the study was to investigate whether the spreadsheet could be a mediator to the teaching of algebraic problem solving. Through the analysis of excerpts from a case study, the core of the paper is focused on two different types of the difficulties that students showed when solving problems algebraically in a spreadsheet environment.

Using System Dynamics to Model Student Performance in an Intelligent Tutoring System

One basic adaptation function of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) consists of selecting the most appropriate next task to be offered to the learner. This decision can be based on estimates, such as the expected performance of the student, or the probability that the student successfully solves each particular task. However, the computation of these values is intrinsically difficult, as they may depend on other complex latent variables that also need to be estimated from observable quantities, e.g. the current students ability. In this work, we have used system dynamics to model learning and predict the students performance in a given exercise, in an existing ITS that was developed to teach students solve arithmetic-algebraic word problems. The high correlation between the predicted and real scores outlines the potential of this type of modeling as a prediction tool to support the decision about the next task that should be offered to the learner.

Disposición del alumnado al uso de herramientas de comunicación síncrona en la docencia universitaria

En los ultimos anos han sido numerosas las iniciativas de innovacion educativa que han propuesto el uso de las herramientas de comunicacion sincrona como recurso tecnologico de soporte a la docencia universitaria. Dichas propuestas han demostrado sus beneficios en contextos de aplicacion concretos como por ejemplo: la tutorizacion virtual o la internacionalizacion y movilidad en masteres y doctorados. Sin embargo, su alcance limitado dificulta a menudo la extrapolacion de resultados a otros ambitos docentes y, por tanto, la transformacion de actividades que se pueden catalogar como piloto en soluciones de implantacion consolidada. Con el trasfondo de la declaracion del ano 2015 como Ano Internacional de la Evaluacion, en este trabajo presentamos los resultados de un estudio dirigido a conocer la opinion del alumnado sobre el uso de herramientas de comunicacion por Internet en la docencia universitaria. El estudio ha involucrado a 436 estudiantes matriculados en asignaturas de cursos diversos en titulaciones de ingenieria, magisterio, criminologia y ciencias del deporte, en universidades publicas y privadas. Los resultados muestran una caracterizacion del interes, las expectativas y las preferencias de los alumnos con respecto a la incorporacion de las herramientas informaticas de comunicacion sincronas como mecanismo de apoyo y mejora del proceso de aprendizaje.

A Hypergraph Based Framework for Intelligent Tutoring of Algebraic Reasoning

The translation of word problems into equations is one of the major difficulties for students regarding problem solving. This paper describes both a domain-specific knowledge representation and an inference engine based on hypergraphs that permits intelligent student supervision of this stage of the solving process. The framework presented makes it possible to simultaneously: a) represent all potential algebraic solutions to a given word problem; b) keep track of the student’s actions; c) provide automatic remediation; and d) determine the current state of the resolution process univocally. Starting from these ideas, we have designed an intelligent tutoring system (ITS). An experimental evaluation supports the use of this ITS in practice.