Vanessa Muñoz

Verification and validation of an intelligent tutorial system

This paper presents the results of a verification and validation process for an intelligent system. The system being studied is an Intelligent Tutorial that employs fuzzy logic and multiagent systems. Software engineering techniques were used in the verification process, while the validation exploited both qualitative and quantitative techniques.

Fuzzy and MultiAgent Instructional Planner for an Intelligent Tutorial System

This article presents some aspects in our research into the design of a Fuzzy and MultiAgent Instructional Planner belonging to an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), which has been designed as a tool for the reinforcement of the addition operation. The authors propose the combined use of both fuzzy and MultiAgent Systems. The fuzzy logic methodology is used to model the students knowledge and the teaching strategy. Furthermore, the MultiAgent System implemented determines the learning objectives so as to provide the student with an efficient learning process. The fuzzy and MultiAgent Systems comprising the instructional planner were verified with the collaboration of experts in mathematics and in other areas of knowledge. The results obtained by the primary school children who used the ITS are also presented.

Teacher strategies simulation by using fuzzy systems

Fuzzy system technologies are of emerging interest in the specification and implementation of complex systems. This article introduces fuzzy instructional planner, which models the tutor module in a intelligent tutorial system (ITS). The behaviour of this system is defined by strategies which adapt the learning process for individual students by applying appropriate pedagogical methodologies. For this reason, the purpose of a instructional planner is to mimic the behaviour of the teacher able to control learning process satisfactorily. The knowledge acquisition is based on the reasoning carried out by the teacher in a learning process. Usually, this information is obtained from human expert who supplied linguistic information. The capacity to use linguistic information is specific to fuzzy inference systems.

Inclusive educational software design with agile approach

In this paper we present a proposal of inclusive educational software design based on principles of user-centered design (UCD), user experience design (UXD) and agile methodologies (SCRUM). The main goal of this proposal is to identify usability problems and UX factors in early stages of educational software development for users with special educational needs. Furthermore, we also present a User Interface (UI) design and its evaluation conducted with experts and students. This UI evaluation has been divided in several phases, using diverse methods with different actors. Prototyping and usability heuristics are presented as a fast and cost-efficient but still effective and accurate evaluation method for user experience with educational software.

MASCONTROL: a MAS for system identification and process control

In this paper, a MAS, called MASCONTROL for system identification and process control is presented, including an Ontology Agent. It implements a self- tuning regulator (STR) scheme. Defined classes, properties, axioms and individuals in the ontology are mainly related to control concepts. These definitions and other ones allow the system to make some interesting inferences from some axioms defined in the ontology.

Integrating Multimedia Technology, Knowledge Based System and Speech Processing for the Diagnostic and Treatment of Developmental Dyslexia

SICOLE is a research effort to develop a software environment to help tutors of dyslexic children with the diagnostic and treatment tasks. This paper describes the architecture of the package already implemented where three important elements interact: a multimedia interface, an inference module and a database. This architecture provides the system with the flexibility to support a large variety of tasks, dynamic presentations, and complex teaching strategies. The application of speech recognition technology is also researched as an important part of the evaluation of the dyslexic children improvements. This package is being used at the present moment in several Spanish Schools as part of its validation process.

EMATIC: an inclusive educational application for tablets

EMATIC project (Mathematics Education through ICT) is a multi-device Intelligent Tutorial System (ITS) focused on the teaching of mathematics, especially for children with educational difficulties. Logical thinking and learning different aspects of basic math are the main learning goals of EMATIC. Also, EMATIC allows students to perform non-repetitively the same type of exercise, making the process of learning something as dynamic and entertaining as if it were a game. This paper examines key issues to support students with special education needs (SEN) in their learning of math, involving the interaction design and usability of the applications interface. The research goals include the identification of the main interaction difficulties and the improvement of the interaction design to get a better suit to these groups of users.

Simulations and fuzzy systems for resource reallocation

This paper presents a strategy that combines fuzzy logic and discrete event simulation to address the resource relocation problem. In any system with limited resources, the way in which said resources are distributed influences the quality of the services that can be provided. Making these decisions requires studying the various implications that increasing or distributing the resources has on the system. In this paper, we propose the combined use of simulation and fuzzy logic to determine a proper method for distributing resources. We have used the SIGHOS library to model a case involving a hospital process. The resource reallocation process can be monitored throughout the simulation, allowing for a study of the effects that increasing or distributing the resources has on the system.

A Multiagent Architecture Applied to Dynamic Generation of CV Documents

The aim of this paper is to present a dynamic system for the automatic and dynamic generation of CV documents in an academic and research environment. For that purpose, the authors have integrated Multiagent Systems (MAS) with XML and Apache Cocoon, designing a web portal where the users can manage their CV data. Regarding to the use of Apache Cocoon and apart from showing its great potential, one of the main contributions of the work presented in this paper consists of the dynamic generation of the web environment.