Study of one of the most important components of an Intelligent Tutoring system

1. INTERFACE
AND
LEARNING GAIN

2. INTERFACE
◦ People retain about 25 percent of what they hear, 45 percent of what they see and hear, and 70 percent
of what they see, hear and do. This is a strong argument for user interfaces that include not only text
but also visually exciting graphics.
◦ User interface is communicating component of the ITS which controls interaction between the user and
the system.
◦ It works bidirectional.
◦ From the point of view of the user, most of an intelligent tutoring system can be considered as a user
interface. Thus, it is important to highlight those aspects of ITSs that are concerned with the interaction
among users and the domain knowledge, particularly in the presentation of text and graphics as well as
acceptance of user input.

3. An interface is a medium for two or more people to communicate among each other. In general,
interface is a link or connections between two elements, in this case the human and the computer. Study
has indicated that the natural behaviour of the user interface is a primary determinant of the
"friendliness" or "usability" of the systems. It was agreed that intelligent interfaces should make an
application easier to use and understand.
ITS STRUCTURE

4. Chronological Development of User Interfaces
Generations Of
Computer
Systems
User Interface
Paradigm
Generations of User Interfaces Computer
Supported
Teaching and Learning Paradigm
1945-1955
Pioneer
Programming, Batch
Batch Interfaces —
1955-1965
Historical
Command Languages
Line-Oriented
Interfaces
Computer Assisted Instruction
1965-1980
Traditional
Full Screen
Hierarchical
Menus, Form Fill-
In
Full-Screen
Interfaces
Intelligent
Computer Assisted Instruction
1980-1995
Modern
WIMP
(Windows, Icons,
Menus, Pointing Devices)
Graphical User Interfaces
ITS
(Intelligent
Tutoring System)
1995-? Future
Non-Command
Based Interfaces
Next-Generation Interfaces
Web Oriented Intelligent
Tutoring System

5. GUI (Graphical User Interface)
◦ The graphical user interface is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic
devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, instead of text-based user
interfaces, typed command labels or text navigation
◦ The limitations of current Graphical User Interface (GUI) put barriers in a user's mind. Users need an
interactive interface that can support natural input and receive the output or the feedback in the same
form. The errors and speed in menu selection interface will increase user stress. Therefore, artificial
intelligent techniques such as NLP is the potential techniques in enhancing communication and
interaction between man and computer.

6. LEARNING GAIN
◦ ITS are meant to improve instruction and learning through adapting to learner needs. Therefore, any
intelligent tutoring system framework that does not consider ITS’ effect on learning would be
incomplete. Thus, we added learning gains to the four-component architecture to gather information on
what seems to be working in ITS development, and whether ITS are getting closer to achieving the 2-
sigma effect of human tutors (Bloom, 1984).
◦ The 2-sigma effect comes from an article written by Bloom in 1984. Bloom describes research that
attempts to measure the effect sizes of different instructional conditions.
◦ They found that the tutoring condition performed about two standard deviations above the
conventional classroom condition. This means that the average, tutored student performed better than
98% of students in the conventional classroom.

7. Traditional classroom’s results ITS classroom’s result

8. Analysis of Interface and Learning gain of
Wayang Outpost
◦ Intelligent tutoring system designed for helping student to solve math problems.
◦ Wayang Outpost makes full use of multimedia as it engages students in a game-like environment where
students demonstrate math skills as they attempt to solve problems

9. Role of Learning Companion
◦ Initially a pedagogical agent has always been a part of the tutoring system. The agent started off as an
Indonesian shadow puppet who presented the problems to students and provided step-by step help.
The shadow puppet was eventually replaced by a learning companion named Jake or Jane and could be
a boy or girl.
◦ While a learning companion was present, students reported significantly less frustration and more
interest for the task at hand.
◦ Females reported having a better learning experience with a learning companion present whereas
males reported a better experience without one present. Other behavioural differences were noted
such as females would game less and spend more time on problems when a learning companion was
present.
◦ It is also observed that the students performed better when the learning companion shows different
expressions and emotions
◦ It is also found that low achieving students (males and females) highly benefited from affective learning
companions.

10. The Wayang Outpost Math Tutor interface. An animated companion provides individualized comments
and help tools are available in the vertical bar (left).

11. Multi-cultural animated pedagogical agents show a range of emotion. Companions act out their emotion
and talk with students expressing full sentences of cognitive, metacognitive and emotional feedback.

12. Learning Gain
◦ While the pre and post-tests that students take can act as measures of learning gains, not much was
found that reported learning gains of the system. One study showed a 27% increase from pre- to post
test.
◦ Another study showed that scores improved by an average of 10% after three hours of instruction and
20% after four to five hours of instruction with the tutor.
◦ One more study compared performance on state standardized exams where students who used Wayang
Outpost scored a mean of 92% versus a control who averaged 76%.