Enhancing simulation education with intelligent tutoring systems

The demand for education in the area of simulation is in the increase. This paper describes how education in the field of simulation can take advantage of the virtues of intelligent tutoring with respect to enhancing the educational process. For this purpose, this paper gives an overview of what constitutes the objectives and the content of a comprehensive course in discrete event simulation. The architecture of an intelligent tutoring system is presented and it is discussed how these sophisticated learning aids offer individualised student guidance and support within a learning environment. The paper then introduces a prototype intelligent tutoring system, the simulation tutor, and suggests how the system might be developed to enhance education in simulation

An Architecture of an Intelligent Tutoring System to Support Distance Learning

This paper outlines a design framework of an intelligent tutoring system (ITS). ITS focuses on a newer and more comprehensive distance learning (DL) process as compared to the established traditional DL programs practiced today. The DL model presented in this paper (CHARLIE) is a high level software based tutorial that has the ability to encompass a wide variety of current DL technologies in a single DL session. CHARLIE's architecture has four components: Control Component (responsible for the interaction between software agents and the operating system); Instructional Component (concerned with the instructional aspects of an ITS session); Text Analysis Component (analyzes the partial syntax and partial semantics of the text in the session); Student Modeling Component (analyzes a student's progress and determines the best model for learning during a session). Each component is serviced by a set of software agents to accomplish its mission. Three additional entities in CHARLIE are two separate databases and an explanation facility. Six agents have been implemented in CHARLIE to create a DL course in C++ programming. Much of CHARLIE remains to be completed which opens many areas for research

An intelligent decision support system for machine learning algorithms recommendation

Machine learning is a very central topic in Artificial Intelligence and even computer science in general. Nowadays, its use in Big Data problems is quite well known. However, while the big data, and machine learning problems in general, are quite varied and in needing of different kinds of solutions, there are as well many different methods in machine learning that can be used. In this work, we propose an application that might help deciding on which machine learning methods a user needs for a specified problem. The application is an Intelligent Decision Support System for Machine Learning Algorithm Recommendation for which we present the design, which is centered around the combined use of the Case-Based Reasoning and RuleBased Reasoning, for the recommending process, while also trying to make the system easy to use and manage. We present a prototype of such a system, and the implementation details of the two recommender algorithms. The preliminary testing of the prototype shows it to be a promising tool

Supporting Constructive Video-based Learning: Requirements Elicitation from Exploratory Studies

Although videos are a highly popular digital medium for learning, video watching can be a passive activity and results in limited learning. This calls for interactive means to support engagement and active video watching. However, there is limited insight into what engagement challenges have to be overcome and what intelligent features are needed. This paper presents an empirical way to elicit requirements for innovative functionality to support constructive video-based learning. We present two user studies with an active video watching system instantiated for soft skill learning (pitch presenta-tions). Based on the studies, we identify whether learning is happening and what kind of interaction contributes to learning, what difficulties participants face and how these can be overcome with additional intelligent support. Our findings show that participants who engaged in constructive learning have improved their conceptual understanding of presentation skills, while those who exhibited more passive ways of learning have not improved as much as constructive learners. Analysis of participants’ profiles and experiences led to requirements for intelligent support with active video watching. Based on this, we propose intelligent nudging in the form of signposting and prompts to further promote constructive learning

An Internet Portal based on 'Twenty Questions'

An efficient Internet portal should contain a search engine or maybe even a decision support system to supply the user with the information (s)he may be looking for. In this report an intelligent agent is suggested that relates different sites to each other, based on the answers supplied by the users looking for certain information. For this purpose a self-learning system has been made, based on the neural network of the game Twenty Questions, but with a strategy that relates different objects or sites by correlating the list of answers to the questions

The desktop interface in intelligent tutoring systems

The interface between an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) and the person being tutored is critical to the success of the learning process. If the interface to the ITS is confusing or non-supportive of the tutored domain, the effectiveness of the instruction will be diminished or lost entirely. Consequently, the interface to an ITS should be highly integrated with the domain to provide a robust and semantically rich learning environment. In building an ITS for ZetaLISP on a LISP Machine, a Desktop Interface was designed to support a programming learning environment. Using the bitmapped display, windows, and mouse, three desktops were designed to support self-study and tutoring of ZetaLISP. Through organization, well-defined boundaries, and domain support facilities, the desktops provide substantial flexibility and power for the student and facilitate learning ZetaLISP programming while screening the student from the complex LISP Machine environment. The student can concentrate on learning ZetaLISP programming and not on how to operate the interface or a LISP Machine