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

本项目致力于在解决多体静力学问题的同时，通过反馈和指导，提供智能和及时的指导。正在开发的基于计算机的导师为学生提供了处理桁架问题的工具，具有相当广泛的自由度来选择子系统、绘制自由身体图以及编写和求解平衡方程，无论用户选择的顺序是什么。辅导系统采用了一种类似认知导师的方法，其中用户的实际工作是根据学生和专家认知的基本模型来看待的。基础模型建立在Statics中的概念框架之上，这也导致了现在广泛使用的概念测试-Statics概念清单。辅导系统传达作为解决桁架问题的基础的目标结构，这类似于其他多体静力学问题，促进对问题解决知识和实现有效解决方案的战略决策的正确、一般的理解，并针对与期望性能模型相关的错误提供即时反馈。开发的重点是系统的可用性、系统解释用户工作的能力，就像教师查看纸质和铅笔工作一样，以及用户的学习收获。该项目将认知风格的导师扩展到工程领域，促进了对如何促进学习和教育的理解，并将这种理解纳入到实际的教学工具中。将通过开发能够广泛服务于工程教育的新一代基于计算机的辅导系统来加强教育基础设施。材料将通过开放学习倡议以持续的方式传播和提供，目前有数千名用户在该倡议下使用开放理工程静力学课程。该项目与一所学院合作，该学院提供头两年的工程学学习，并将大量少数族裔学生送入佐治亚州的工程学校。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的体验，该项目预计将增加选择工程作为职业的高中生数量。

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.