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ERIC Number: ED545702
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 186
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-2675-5301-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Mixed-Response Intelligent Tutoring System Based on Learning from Demonstration
Alvarez Xochihua, Omar
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Texas A&M University
Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) have a significant educational impact on student's learning. However, researchers report time intensive interaction is needed between ITS developers and domain-experts to gather and represent domain knowledge. The challenge is augmented when the target domain is ill-defined. The primary problem resides in often using traditional approaches for gathering domain and tutoring experts' knowledge at design time and conventional methods for knowledge representation built for well-defined domains. Similar to evolving knowledge acquisition approaches used in other fields, we replace this restricted view of ITS knowledge learning merely at design time with an incremental approach that continues training the ITS during run time. We investigate a gradual knowledge learning approach through continuous instructor-student demonstrations. We present a Mixed-response Intelligent Tutoring System based on Learning from Demonstration that gathers and represents knowledge at run time. Furthermore, we implement two knowledge representation methods (Weighted Markov Models and Weighted Context Free Grammars) and corresponding algorithms for building domain and tutoring knowledge-bases at run time. We use students' solutions to "cybersecurity" exercises as the primary data source for our initial framework testing. Five experiments were conducted using various granularity levels for data representation, multiple datasets differing in content and size, and multiple experts to evaluate framework performance. Using our WCFG-based knowledge representation method in conjunction with a finer data representation granularity level, the implemented framework reached 97% "effectiveness" in providing correct feedback. The ITS demonstrated consistency when applied to multiple datasets and experts. Furthermore, on average, only 1.4 hours were needed by instructors to build the knowledge-base and required tutorial actions per exercise. Finally, the ITS framework showed suitable and consistent performance when applied to a second domain. These results imply that ITS domain models for ill-defined domains can be gradually constructed, yet generate successful results with minimal effort from instructors and framework developers. We demonstrate that, in addition to providing an "effective" tutoring performance, an ITS framework can offer: "scalability" in data magnitude, "efficiency" in reducing human effort required for building a confident knowledge-base, "metacognition" in inferring its current knowledge, "robustness" in handling different pedagogical and tutoring criteria, and "portability" for multiple domain use. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A