XTutor: An Intelligent Tutor System for Science and Math Based on Excel

摘要

VanLehn argued that an essential feature of many intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) is that they provide feedback and hints on every step of a multi-step solution. But if step-based feedback and hints alone suffice for strong learning gains, as Anderson et al. conjecture ([1]), then perhaps a lightweight tutoring system that employ only feedback and bottom-out hints would have advantages. This motivates the current project. Using Excel there are some immediately advantages that can be obtained: most people is familiar with its user interface and its notation for mathematical expressions, Excel already contains facilities for solving some systems of equations and it can be easy combined with many other pieces of software, making it easier for instructors to include the tutor in their course activities. Finally, web-based delivery is simple because most students already have and use Excel.