Collaborative Research: S-CASTS: A System for Collaboration Among Students, Teacher and System

这个多机构，多学科的项目调查使用的合作模式，特别是体现在协作的人机界面系统，在现有的灵活的软件工具，数学教育的增强。它借鉴了两个互补领域的先前工作和专业知识：（1）数学教育：数据和概率的代表性工具的开发，以及（2）多智能体系统研究：协作的理论模型的开发及其在协作人机界面设计中的部署。它同时提出了研究问题，并将有助于这两个领域的研究。在三年的时间里，该项目将开发三种基于协作界面设计技术的教学工具。这些系统将需要开发新的计划识别算法和人机界面设计。他们将在几所中学的教室里使用概率建模软件Model Chance进行测试。在第一年，将为教师创建一个工具，为他们提供围绕可能的计划组织的学生作业的代表。在第二年，这一资源将扩展到一个可以提醒教师谁可能需要立即援助的学生，并提供他们的计划可能已经出了差错的一些代表。最后，在第三年，前两年的课程将被带到一个教学模块的设计上，当学生感觉到他可能需要一些帮助或建议时，该模块将直接与学生互动。该项目的智力价值在于计算机科学和教育研究。更广泛的影响在于该项目对改善数学教育的承诺。

This multi-institution, multi-disciplinary project investigates the use of models of collaboration, especially as embodied in collaborative human-computer interface systems, in the augmentation of existing flexible software tools for mathematics education. It draws on prior work and expertise in two complementary fields: (1) mathematics education: the development of representational tools for data and probability, and (2) multi-agent systems research: the development of a theoretical model of collaboration and its deployment in the design of collaborative human-computer interfaces. It simultaneously raises research questions and will contribute to research in both fields. Over the course of three years, the project will develop three pedagogical tools based on techniques for collaborative interface design. These systems will entail the development of new plan-recognition algorithms and human-computer interface designs. They will be tested in several middle school classrooms using the probability modeling software Model Chance. In Year 1, a tool will be created for teachers to provide them with a representation of their students' work organized around possible plans. In Year 2, this resource will be extended to one that can alert teachers to students who may need immediate assistance and provide some representation of how their planning may have gone awry. Finally, in Year 3, the lessons of the previous two years will be brought to bear on the design of a pedagogical module that will interact directly with the student when it senses that he may need some assistance or advice. The intellectual merit of the project resides in the computer science and education research. The broader impact lies in the project's promise for improving mathematics education.