Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Planning Tecniques: A Systematic Review

Planning is a problem-solving method that produces an action sequence (i.e. plan) to achieve a goal. Instructional Planning is a central issue to develop adaptive educational software and Intelligent Tutoring Systems. The objective of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of planning techniques used in ITS in the last twenty years. In this review, 969 papers in 6 digital reference libraries extensively used by computer science researchers were identified. After a selection process using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 20 relevant papers were chosen. The results present the existence of a relevant research gap. Among the retrieved papers, no document which uses Goal Reasoning-based planning techniques was found, and more specifically, no system that use the process of autonomy based on goals.Planning is a problem-solving method that produces an action sequence (i.e. plan) to achieve a goal. Instructional Planning is a central issue to develop adaptive educational software and Intelligent Tutoring Systems. The objective of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of planning techniques used in ITS in the last twenty years. In this review, 969 papers in 6 digital reference libraries extensively used by computer science researchers were identified. After a selection process using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 20 relevant papers were chosen. The results present the existence of a relevant research gap. Among the retrieved papers, no document which uses Goal Reasoning-based planning techniques was found, and more specifically, no system that use the process of autonomy based on goals

Multi-level pedagogical model for the personalization of pedagogical strategies in intelligent tutoring systems

Pedagogic strategies are action plans designed to manage issues related to sequencing and content organization, specifying learning activities, and deciding how to deliver content and activities in teaching processes. In this paper, we present an approach to personalization of pedagogical strategies in Intelligent Tutoring Systems using pedagogical knowledge rules in a Web environment. The adaptation of pedagogical strategies is made based on a multilevel pedagogical model. An Intelligent Tutoring Systems called FUNPRO was developed to validate the multilevel pedagogical model. The results of empirical tests show that the multilevel pedagogical model enables FUNPRO to improve the process of personalization of pedagogical strategies, due to the reduction of inappropriate recommendations

Metamodel for personalized adaptation of pedagogical strategies using metacognition in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

The modeling process of metacognitive functions in Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) is a difficult and time-consuming task. In particular when the integration of several metacognitive components, such as self-regulation and metamemory is needed. Metacognition has been used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve the performance of complex systems such as ITS. However the design ITS with metacognitive capabilities is a complex task due to the number and complexity of processes involved. The modeling process of ITS is in itself a difficult task and often requires experienced designers and programmers, even when using authoring tools. In particular the design of the pedagogical strategies for an ITS is complex and requires the interaction of a number of variables that define it as a dynamic process. This doctoral thesis presents a metamodel for the personalized adaptation of pedagogical strategies integrating metamemory and self-regulation in ITS. The metamodel called MPPSM (Metamodel of Personalized adaptation of Pedagogical Strategies using Metacognition in intelligent tutoring systems) was synthetized from the analysis of 40 metacognitive models and 45 ITS models that exist in the literature. MPPSMhas a conceptual architecture with four levels of modeling according to the standard Meta- Object Facility (MOF) of Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) methodology. MPPSM enables designers to have modeling tools in early stage of software development process to produce more robust ITS that are able to self-regulate their own reasoning and learning processes. In this sense, a concrete syntax composed of a graphic notation called M++ was defined in order to make the MPPSM metamodel more usable. M++ is a Domain-Specific Visual Language (DSVL) for modeling metacognition in ITS. M++ has approximately 20 tools for modeling metacognitive systems with introspective monitoring and meta-level control. MPPSM allows the generation of metacognitive models using M++ in a visual editor named MetaThink. In MPPSM-based models metacognitive components required for monitoring and executive control of the reasoning processes take place in each module of an ITS can be specified. MPPSM-based models represent the cycle of reasoning of an ITS about: (i) failures generated in its own reasoning tasks (e.g. self-regulation); and (ii) anomalies in events that occur in its Long-Term Memory (LTM) (e.g. metamemory). A prototype of ITS called FUNPRO was developed for the validation of the performance of metacognitive mechanism of MPPSM in the process of the personalization of pedagogical strategies regarding to the preferences and profiles of real students. FUNPRO uses self-regulation to monitor and control the processes of reasoning at object-level and metamemory for the adaptation to changes in the constraints of information retrieval tasks from LTM. The major contributions of this work are: (i) the MOF-based metamodel for the personalization of pedagogical strategies using computational metacognition in ITS; (ii) the M++ DSVL for modeling metacognition in ITS; and (iii) the ITS prototype called FUNPRO (FUNdamentos de PROgramación) that aims to provide personalized instruction in the subject of Introduction to Programming. The results given in the experimental tests demonstrate: (i) metacognitive models generated are consistent with the MPPSM metamodel; (ii) positive perceptions of users with respect to the proposed DSVL and it provide preliminary information concerning the quality of the concrete syntax of M++; (iii) in FUNPRO, multi-level pedagogical model enhanced with metacognition allows the dynamic adaptation of the pedagogical strategy according to the profile of each student.Doctorad

Multi-Agent Systems

A multi-agent system (MAS) is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. Multi-agent systems can be used to solve problems which are difficult or impossible for an individual agent or monolithic system to solve. Agent systems are open and extensible systems that allow for the deployment of autonomous and proactive software components. Multi-agent systems have been brought up and used in several application domains

Knowledge based educational framework for enhancing practical skills in engineering distance learners

This paper presents a concept of knowledge-based education (KBEd) framework and method in capturing, mapping, reusing and automating the knowledge of on-campus engineering laboratory instructor for imparting and assessing practical skills in engineering distance learners. The concept of distance learning in engineering science subjects like mechanical and automotive is still in its infant stage. As laboratory plays a vital role in engineering curriculum, delivering these programs and evaluating them have been the two major challenges for universities offering distance learning engineering courses. In order to overcome these challenges; an instructional system automated through experts knowledge with more granularity in monitoring the learners transition throughout the learning process is required. © 2015 IEEE

Multi-Agent Systems

This Special Issue ""Multi-Agent Systems"" gathers original research articles reporting results on the steadily growing area of agent-oriented computing and multi-agent systems technologies. After more than 20 years of academic research on multi-agent systems (MASs), in fact, agent-oriented models and technologies have been promoted as the most suitable candidates for the design and development of distributed and intelligent applications in complex and dynamic environments. With respect to both their quality and range, the papers in this Special Issue already represent a meaningful sample of the most recent advancements in the field of agent-oriented models and technologies. In particular, the 17 contributions cover agent-based modeling and simulation, situated multi-agent systems, socio-technical multi-agent systems, and semantic technologies applied to multi-agent systems. In fact, it is surprising to witness how such a limited portion of MAS research already highlights the most relevant usage of agent-based models and technologies, as well as their most appreciated characteristics. We are thus confident that the readers of Applied Sciences will be able to appreciate the growing role that MASs will play in the design and development of the next generation of complex intelligent systems. This Special Issue has been converted into a yearly series, for which a new call for papers is already available at the Applied Sciences journal’s website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Multi-Agent_Systems_2019

Diseño e implementación de planificadores instruccionales en sistemas tutoriales inteligentes mediante el uso combinado de metodologías borrosa y multiagente

Creación de una herramienta de contenido educativo que sirve de apoyo al aprendizaje y refuerza los contenidos lógicos de recononocimiento del número, suma y resta. Tras la revisión de algunos programas de software educativo para los niveles infantil, primaria y secundaria se realiza la adquisición, análisis y modelado del conocimiento pedagógico necesario para la realización del sistema tutorial inteligente. El planificador instruccional se desarrolla siguiendo las metodologías borrosa y multiagent

Application of a problem-based learning in university students of irrigation engineering

En el presente artículo se presentan los resultados de un estudio realizado mediante la metodología activa de aprendizaje denominada “Aprendizaje basado en Problemas” (ABP), en estudiantes universitarios. El trabajo se ha desarrollado durante el curso 2015-16 en dos grupos de alumnos de la asignatura Ingeniería del Riego, en el Grado en Ingeniería Agrícola de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de la Universidad de Huelva (España). Ha comprendido la aplicación de la metodología didáctica específica y su evaluación, detallándose el problema estructurante diseñado y su división en subproblemas. La evaluación se ha efectuado empleando un método cuasi-experimental. Entre las conclusiones se destaca que el ABP es preferible a la metodología tradicional expositiva, al resultar significativa la diferencia en adquisición de conocimientos por los estudiantes. Así mismo, se produce mejora en los planteamientos para la resolución de los problemas planteados, no sólo la diferencia en resultados numéricos finales, sino el planteamiento establecido para llegar a los mismosIn this paper results are shown for research carried out through active learning methodology, which is called “Problem-Based Learning” (PBL), among university students. The work was developed during the academic year 2015-16 and it was carried out with two groups of students enrolled in the subject “Irrigation Engineering”, belonging to the Agricultural Engineering Degree from the Superior Technical School of Engineering of the University of Huelva (Spain). To do so the application of specific teaching methods and evaluation were necessary, with special attention to the structuring problem and its division into sub problems. The evaluation was carried out using a quasi-experimental method. One highlight of the conclusions is that the PBL methodology is preferable to the traditional expository methodology due to the significant difference in knowledge acquisition by students. Also, improvement occurs in the approaches regarding problem resolution, not only in the difference in final numerical results, but the way they were reached. Keywords: problem-based learning, engineers training, quasi-experimental method, irrigation engineerin

Interactive Narrative for Adaptive Educational Games: Architecture and an Application to Character Education

This thesis presents AEINS, Adaptive Educational Interactive Narrative System, that supports teaching ethics for 8-12 year old children. AEINS is designed based on Keller's and Gagné's learning theories. The idea is centered around involving students in moral dilemmas (called teaching moments) within which the Socratic Method is used as the teaching pedagogy. The important unique aspect of AEINS is that it exhibits the presence of four features shown to individually increase effectiveness of edugames environments, yet not integrated together in past research: a student model, a dynamic generated narrative, scripted branched narrative and evolving non-player characters. The student model aims to provide adaptation. The dynamic generated narrative forms a continuous story that glues the scripted teaching moments together. The evolving agents increase the realism and believability of the environment and perform a recognized pedagogical role by helping in supplying the educational process. AEINS has been evaluated intrinsically and empirically according to the following themes: architecture and implementation, social aspects, and educational achievements. The intrinsic evaluation checked the implicit goals embodied by the design aspects and made a value judgment about these goals. In the empirical evaluation, twenty participants were assigned to use AEINS over a number of games. The evaluation showed positive results as the participants appreciated the social characteristics of the system as they were able to recognize the genuine social aspects and the realism represented in the game. Finally, the evaluation showed indications for developing new lines of thinking for some participants to the extent that some of them were ready to carry the experience forward to the real world. However, the evaluation also suggested possible improvements, such as the use of 3D interface and free text natural language