Problem Generation, Solution, Student Input, and Tutoring Modules for Introductory Linear Circuit Analysis

项目描述：亚利桑那州立大学（ASU）与钱德勒-吉尔伯特社区学院（CGCC）合作，正在为本科电子工程课程开发基于网络学习的线性电路分析入门教材。教学材料包括一套软件工具，用于自动生成特定类型的电路分析示例和精心分级难度的问题，包括完全制定的，准确的解决方案。软件模块正在开发中，以自动或手动绘制电路图，并允许学生修改图，以说明解决问题所涉及的步骤。这些模块还允许用户在绘图程序中使用各种功能的调色板绘制波形。该软件结合了对学生作业步骤的自动评估（即，方程式，数值答案，以及他们输入的修订电路图）以及最终答案。算法和启发式被用来解决电路问题，就像学生在初级课程中被教导的那样，与通常在自动电路分析中使用的方法不同。该软件还可以用于生成和评分个性化的家庭作业问题和测验，以及学生在个人或合作学习期间使用的完整工作示例。软件元素也被整合到一个原型互动辅导程序中，利用现有的安第斯物理辅导系统（作为初始框架）。这项工作是与《安第斯》的作者Kurt VanLehn合作完成的。电路理论的关键概念的教学序列是通过精心编程的问题序列和展示不同难度水平的例子来实现的。这些序列专门针对学生倾向于持有的关于电和电路分析的常见先入为主/误解。教学顺序可以自动定制，以满足个别学生的需求和愿望，以促进对关键概念的掌握，同时加强对早期材料的复习，以增加记忆。学生在课前完成的辅导课上的表现反馈被用来确定教师在给定的课堂上应该关注的领域。这些材料的独立形成性和总结性评估由具有计算机学习系统评估专业知识的教育专家进行。学习成果是根据仔细定义的学习目标（使用教学前和教学后的概念清单），以及学生在辅导过程中遇到的问题的考试成绩和表现（包括完成任务的时间）来衡量的。调查和焦点小组也被用作整个项目评估的一部分。更广泛的意义：该项目正试图利用开源方法进行传播；同时，该软件的网络版本也在计划中，可能会被整合到一个专有的出版商网站上。该项目有可能为大学和社区学院的合作提供一种模式，同时也提供了一种基于技术的辅导方法，可以用于教授各种其他关键工程课程（例如，数字电路设计，静力学）。正在积极招募未被充分代表的少数民族学生参与该项目，以确保所有参与STEM学习社区的人都有价值。

Participating Organizations: Arizona State University (ASU)Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC)Project Description:Arizona State University (ASU), in collaboration with Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC), is developing cyberlearning-based instructional materials for undergraduate electrical engineering courses on introductory linear circuit analysis. The instructional materials consist of a set of software tools for the automatic generation of specified types of circuit analysis examples and problems of carefully graded difficulty, including fully worked-out, accurate solutions. Software modules are being developed to automatically or manually sketch circuit diagrams and permit modification of the diagrams by students in order to illustrate the steps involved in working through problems. The modules also allow users to sketch waveforms using a palette of various functions in a drawing program. The software incorporates automatic evaluation of the steps in student work (i.e., equations, numerical answers, and revised circuit diagrams that they input) as well as the final answers. Algorithms and heuristics are being used to solve circuit problems as students are taught to do in elementary courses, as distinct from methods normally used in automated circuit analysis. The software can also be used to generate and grade individualized homework problems and quizzes, as well as fully-worked examples for use by students during individual or collaborative study.The software elements are also being integrated into a prototype interactive tutoring program, leveraging an existing Andes physics tutor system (as the initial framework). This work is being done in collaboration with Kurt VanLehn, who authored Andes. Instructional sequences to teach key concepts in circuit theory are being implemented using carefully programmed sequences of problems and examples exhibiting various levels of difficulty. These sequences specifically target common preconceptions/misconceptions that students tend to hold regarding electricity and circuit analysis. Instructional sequences can be automatically customized to the needs and desires of individual students to promote mastery of key concepts, while enforcing review of earlier material to increase retention. Feedback from student performance on tutorials completed prior to class is being used to identify areas in which instructors should focus during a given class period.Independent formative and summative evaluation of these materials is conducted by an educational specialist with expertise in the evaluation of computer-based learning systems. Learning gains are measured against carefully defined learning objectives (using concept inventories before & after instruction), as well as student exam scores and performance (including time on task) on questions encountered in the tutoring sequences. Surveys and focus groups are also being used as part of the overall project's evaluation. Broader Significance:The project is attempting to utilize an open-source approach to dissemination; while a web-based version of the software is also being planned for potential incorporation into a proprietary publisher web site. The project has the potential to provide a model for university & community college collaboration, while also offering a technology-based tutoring approach that can be adapted to teach a variety of other key engineering courses (e.g., digital circuit design, statics). Underrepresented minority students are being actively recruited to work on the project to ensure value for all those involved in the STEM learning community.