Optimally Sizing a Computing Lab for Introductory Under- graduate Economics Courses

匹兹堡大学经济系将开设一个计算机实验室，该实验室将利用人工智能创新技术，即发现世界(DW)的智能辅导系统(ITS)，以加强本科生在经济分析入门方面的培训。与以前的计算机教学应用程序相比，ITS/DW方法激发了更多的独立思考，并帮助学生发展出更敏锐的分析技能，但它也有更严格的硬件要求，限制了新闻部能够负担得起的工作站数量。该奖项为改善实验室提供了资金，为其配备了数量更多的适当配置的工作站。新的实验室将由30个(取代15个)工作站组成，使用由项目主任和大学学习研究和开发中心合作开发的Economics PC Discovery World计划。该实验室和软件系统将供学生在微观经济学入门课程中使用，每个日历年约有3000名本科生注册。PITT ITS/DW项目一直是众多学术文章的主题，由于评估结果令人鼓舞，而且基本方法可移植到其他拥有计算机设施的学校，因此引起了人们的兴趣。受赠人将把这个奖项与非联邦来源相匹配。

The Department of Economics at the University of Pittsburgh is opening a computing lab which will utilize innovative techniques of artificial intelligence, known as Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) of Discovery Worlds (DW), to strengthen undergraduate training in introductory economic analysis. The ITS/DW approach stimulates more independent thinking and helps students to develop sharper analytical skills than previous instructional applications of computers, but it also has more demanding hardware requirements which limit the number of workstations which the Department can afford. This award provides funds to improve the lab by outfitting it with a more optimal number of appropriately configured workstations. The new lab will consist of 30 (in place of 15) workstations using an Economics PC Discovery World program developed collaboratively by the Project Director and the University's Learning Research and Development Center. The lab and software system will be used by students in introductory microeconomics courses with enrollments of approximately 3,000 undergraduates per calendar year. The Pitt ITS/DW project has been the subject of numerous scholarly articles, attracting interest because of encouraging evaluative results and the portability of the basic approach to other schools with PC facilities. The grantee will match this award with non- Federal sources.