A Cognitive Tutoring System to Help Students Learn to Solve Multi-body Statics Problems

该项目的重点是通过反馈和指导提供智能和及时的指导，同时解决多体静力学问题。正在开发的计算机为基础的导师赠款学生的工具，桁架问题的工作，合理的宽纬度选择子系统，绘制自由体图，并编写和解决平衡方程，在任何顺序用户选择。该辅导系统采取认知导师的方法，其中用户的实际工作被认为是在学生和专家认知的基础模型。基础模型建立在静态学的概念框架之上，这也导致了现在广泛使用的概念测试，静态概念清单。辅导系统传达的目标结构，桁架问题的解决，这是类似于其他多体静力学问题的基础，促进正确的，一般的理解的解决问题的知识和战略决策，以实现一个有效的解决方案，并提供即时反馈的错误相对于所需的性能模型。开发重点关注系统的可用性、系统解释用户工作的能力（就像教师查看纸笔工作一样）以及用户的学习收获。该项目将认知风格导师扩展到工程领域，促进对如何促进学习和教育的理解，并将这种理解融入到实用的教学工具中。教育基础设施将通过开发可广泛服务于工程教育的下一代基于计算机的辅导系统得到加强。将通过开放式学习倡议持续传播和提供材料，目前有数千名用户使用开放式学习倡议的工程统计学课程。该项目与一所大学合作，提供前两年的工程研究，并为格鲁吉亚工程学校提供大量少数民族学生。此外，通过调整导师，为在物理课程中学习桁架的高中生提供刺激和激励经验，该项目预计将增加选择工程作为职业的高中生人数。

This project focuses on providing intelligent and timely instruction through feedback and guidance while solving multi-body statics problems. The computer-based tutor being developed grants students tools to work on truss problems, with reasonably wide latitude to select subsystems, draw free body diagrams, and write and solve equations of equilibrium, in whatever order the user chooses. The tutoring system takes a cognitive-tutor-like approach in which the actual work of a user is viewed in light of an underlying model of student and expert cognition. The underlying model builds upon a conceptual framework in Statics, which has also led to the now widely used conceptual test, the Statics Concept Inventory. The tutoring system communicates the goal structure that underlies the solving of truss problems, which is similar to other multi-body statics problems, promotes a correct, general understanding of the problem-solving knowledge and of the strategic decisions for achieving an efficient solution, and provides immediate feedback on errors relative to the model of desired performance. The development focuses on the usability of the system, the ability of the system to interpret user work as would an instructor viewing paper and pencil work, and on the learning gains of users. This project extends cognitive style tutors to engineering domains, advancing understanding of how to promote learning and education and incorporates that understanding into a practical instructional tool. The infrastructure for education will be enhanced through the development of next-generation computer-based tutoring systems that can serve engineering education broadly. Materials will be disseminated and made available in a sustained way through the Open Learning Initiative, where the OLI Engineering Statics course is currently accessed by thousands of users. The project teams with a college that provides the first 2 years of engineering studies and feeds significant numbers of minority students into Georgia engineering schools. Also, by adapting the tutor so as to provide a stimulating and motivating experience for high school students who study trusses in physics courses, the project is expected to increase the numbers of high school students who choose engineering as a career.