Design and Evaluation of a Pen-Based Tutoring System for Statics Instruction

智能辅导系统已被广泛研究并应用于各种学科。大多数系统都是基于传统的计算机界面，包括窗口、图标、鼠标和指针。研究表明，当测试和培训环境相似时，从培训到测试的转移更大，这表明创建和评估具有与现实问题解决环境相匹配的界面的辅导系统是有益的。该项目旨在创建基于笔的辅导系统，以与学生通常用纸和笔解决问题相同的方式来支持学生。这一目标与最近一项比较不同用户界面的学生表现的研究是一致的，该研究表明，与熟悉的工作实践相匹配的界面提高了学生的表现。从技术角度来看，该项目将为创建笔式辅导软件提供基本算法和用户界面。从教育的角度来看，该项目将开发和评估基于笔的环境中个性化静态教学的创新教学原则。静力学是工程和科学专业的一门重要学科。该项目将为平板电脑和台式电脑创建计算技术和辅导系统，并将评估这两个平台的优势和局限性。还将与纸笔界面和传统电脑界面进行比较。一种平板电脑，具有具有集成数字化仪的LCD显示器；用户使用触控笔直接在显示器上写字。台式笔是一种带有集成数字化仪和嵌入式处理器的笔。笔头使用预先打印好的带有网格的纸张，使系统能够定位笔尖并将笔触数字化。这些导师建立在研究小组最近开发的两个原型笔式辅导系统的基础上。第一个，牛顿笔，是一个静力学家教实现在LeapFrog FLY台式计算机。第二种是Kirchoff's Pen，使用平板电脑帮助学生应用Kirchhoff的电流和电压定律。对牛顿笔的初步研究表明它是一种有效的教学工具。这些原型揭示了几个重要的研究问题，这些问题将在提案中得到解决。该项目将：(1)开发解释手写输入的新技术，以使与基于笔的设备进行更流畅的交互；(2)为基于笔的辅导系统开发改进的、教学上合理的用户界面设计原则；(3)扩展牛顿笔调查之外的静力学问题类别；(4)评估导师的教育价值（学习和迁移）；(5)确定平板电脑和笔记本电脑教学平台的相对优势和劣势。

Intelligent tutoring systems have been widely studied and applied to a variety of subjects. Most systems are based on traditional computer interfaces involving windows, icons, mouse, and pointer. Research shows that transfer from training to testing is greater when testing and training environments are similar, suggesting benefits from creating and evaluating tutoring systems with interfaces that match real-world problem-solving environments. This project aims to create pen-based tutoring systems that scaffold students in the same way they would ordinarily solve problems with paper and pencil. This goal is consistent with recent research comparing student performance across different user interfaces, demonstrating that the interfaces matching familiar work practice enhanced student performance.From a technology perspective, the project will produce basic algorithms and user interfaces for creating pen-based tutoring software. From an education perspective, the project will develop and evaluate innovative pedagogical principles for individualizing statics instruction in pen-based environments. Statics is a critical field required for engineering and science majors.The project will create computational techniques and tutoring systems for both tablet and pentop computers, and will assess the strengths and limitations of the two platforms. Comparisons will also be made with paper-and-pencil and traditional computer interfaces. A tablet computer has an LCD display with an integrated digitizer; the user writes directly on the display using a stylus. A pentop is a pen with an integrated digitizer and embedded processor. A pentop uses paper preprinted with a grid that allows the system to locate the pen tip and digitize pen strokes.The tutors build upon two prototype, pen-based tutoring systems recently developed by the research team. The first, Newton's Pen, is a statics tutor implemented on the LeapFrog FLY pentop computer. The second, Kirchoff's Pen, uses a tablet computer to help students apply Kirchhoff's current and voltage laws. Preliminary studies with Newton's Pen show it is an effective teaching tool. The prototypes uncovered several important research issues that will be ad-dressed by the proposal. The project will: (1) develop new techniques for interpreting hand-written input to enable more fluid interaction with pen-based devices, (2) develop improved, pedagogically-sound user interface design principles for pen-based tutoring systems, (3) expand the class of statics problems beyond those investigated with Newton's Pen, (4) assess the educational value (both learning and transfer) of the tutors, and (5) identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of tablet and pentop platforms for instruction.