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

参与组织：亚利桑那州立大学（ASU）的麦克勒-吉尔伯特社区学院（CGCC）项目描述：亚利桑那州立大学（ASU），与麦克勒-吉尔伯特社区学院（CGCC）合作，正在开发基于网络学习的教学材料，为本科电气工程课程的介绍线性电路分析。教学材料包括一套软件工具，用于自动生成指定类型的电路分析示例和仔细分级难度的问题，包括完全制定的准确解决方案。正在开发软件模块，以自动或手动绘制电路图，并允许学生修改电路图，以说明解决问题所涉及的步骤。这些模块还允许用户使用绘图程序中的各种功能的调色板绘制波形。该软件结合了学生作业步骤的自动评估（即，方程、数值答案和他们输入的修改的电路图）以及最终答案。算法和逻辑学被用来解决电路问题，因为学生在小学课程中被教导这样做，不同于通常用于自动电路分析的方法。该软件还可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。该软件元素还被集成到一个原型交互式辅导程序中，利用现有的安第斯山脉物理辅导系统（作为初始框架）。这项工作是与《安第斯山脉》的作者库尔特·范莱恩合作完成的。教学序列，以教电路理论的关键概念正在实施使用精心编程的问题序列和表现出不同程度的困难的例子。这些序列专门针对学生往往持有的关于电气和电路分析的常见偏见/误解。教学序列可以自动定制的需要和愿望的个别学生，以促进掌握关键概念，同时加强审查较早的材料，以增加保留。根据学生在上课前完成的辅导的反馈，确定教员在某一节课上应重点关注的领域，由一名具有计算机学习系统评估专门知识的教育专家对这些材料进行独立的形成性和总结性评估。学习收益是衡量对仔细定义的学习目标（使用概念库存前后指令），以及学生考试成绩和表现（包括任务时间）在辅导序列中遇到的问题。调查和重点小组也被用作整个项目评价的一部分。更广泛的意义：该项目正试图利用开放源码的方法进行传播;同时也在计划将该软件的网络版纳入一个有专利权的出版商网站。该项目有可能为大学社区学院的合作提供一个模式，同时也提供了一种基于技术的辅导方法，可用于教授各种其他关键工程课程（例如，数字电路设计、静态学）。正在积极招募代表性不足的少数民族学生参与该项目，以确保所有参与STEM学习社区的人的价值。

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.