Multimedia is being used in almost every field. This study is about the use of multimedia in the area of intelligent tutoring systems. This project studies the advantages and disadvantages of interactive multimedia and intelligent tutoring systems, and analyses the ways of combining these technologies in search of an interesting, learnable, flexible, compelling and technology-enhanced educational tool. Educational packages need to be evaluated for effectiveness. When it comes to computer-based instruction, technical concerns such as multimedia effects are taken seriously and there is not enough emphasis on its educational value. There is not much concern about the appropriateness of the instruction method to the computer medium. This research proposes a framework for evaluating educational packages which include a number of issues. Several pieces of educational software were evaluated using this framework and Diagnosis for crop protection, a multimedia software package that aids in teaching the process of diagnosing crop problems, was selected for modification, as a practical application of the theoretical work. We studied different multimedia system development models and methodologies. We also analysed the cognitive issues and intelligent features that enhance the learnability. Finally, the appropriate intelligent features and other factors that could enhance Diagnosis for crop protection to be a more 'active knowledge constructing' environment have been identified. The current version of Diagnosis for crop protection was represented using an appropriate methodology and the proposed changes were described in detail

Vethanayagam, Emma A. K

English

Massey Research Online

Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis.  Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only.  The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author.  Towards a Synthesis of Multimedia and Intelligent Tutoring Systems A. dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University Palmerston North, New Zealand. Emma A. K. Vethanayagam 1998 Abstract Multimedia is being used almost in every field. This study is about the use of multimedia in the area of intelligent tutoring systems. This project studies the advantages and disadvantages of interactive multimedia and intelligent tutoring systems , and analyses the ways of combining these technologies in search of an interesting, learnable, flexible, compelling and technology-enhanced educational tool. Educational packages need to be evaluated for effectiveness. When it comes to computer-based instruction, technical concerns such as multimedia effects are taken seriously and there is not enough emphasis on its educational value. There is not much concern about the appropriateness of the instruction method to the computer medium. This research proposes a framework for evaluating educational packages which include a number of issues. Several pieces of educational software were evaluated using this framework and Diagnosis for crop protection, a multimedia software package that aids in teaching the process of diagnosing crop problems, was selected for modification, as a practical application of the theoretical work. We studied different multimedia system development models and methodologies. We also analyses the cognitive issues and intelligent features that enhance the learnability. Finally, the appropriate intelligent features and other factors that could enhance Diagnosis for crop protection to be a more 'active knowledge constructing' environment have been identified. The current version of Diagnosis for crop protection was represented using an appropriate methodology and the proposed changes were described in detail. Acknowledgments First of all, I am eternally grateful to my uncle Stanny Emmanuel, for his moral and financial support in everything to initiate my masterate degree. I would like to acknowledge New Zealand government and the NZODA postgraduate scholarship office for sponsoring the second year of my program. Next, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ray Kemp, my supervisor, for helping me find some suitable area for my research, excellent supervision, valuable ideas and very prompt reviews. I really enjoyed working with you. [would like to thank Terry Stewart, for granting permission to use Diagnosis and for being helpful in a totally unfamiliar subject area of plant pathology. Thanks to Alex Doyle-Bolecivic, who kindly lent a few packages for studying. Thanks also due to Computer Science department staff and postgrad students, who provided a nice environment for me to work. I would love to thank all my friends and flat mates for their friendship, encouragement, letters and emails. I :i.bsolutely enjoyed the funny things we did together. A very big thank you for my parents and grand mother for their love and prayers. fhanks to my loving brothers and sister for all what they are. Finally, thanks to Raymond for his love and for constantly being there for me all the time. I am very Jroud of you all. Without you all, this dissertation would not be the same. Thank you very much. Table of Contents Abstract .................................................... ..... .................... .......... i Acknowledgements ... .. ................................ .. ......... ........... ......... .... ii Table of Contents ..... .. ................... ....................................... . ........ iii F. .. 1gures .. .......... ................ ... ........... ........... ..... ............................... v11 1. 0 Introduction 1.1 Background .. .. .......................... ........... . .............. .... ..... 1 1.2 Multimedia Tutoring Systems ......... ... ........ ..... ................ 2 1.3 Scope of the project ....... ... ............. ............. ...... . .......... . 4 1.4 Aims and Objectives .... ............................................ ..... 5 1.5 Organisation of research ...... ........... .. ......... .. .................. 6 2.0 Artificial Intelligence and Multimedia in Educational Software 2.1 Introduction ............ ....... .. .... ... . ............................... .. .. 7 2.2 Effective Learning ...... ...... .... .. .......... .. ............. . ... . ... .... .. 8 2.3 Why do we need computer-based tutoring systems? .. ......... 9 2.4 Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) . .......................... .. ... ... 11 2.4.l Merits of some ITSs ........................... . ... ... . ......... 14 2.4.2 Problems in ITS ..... . ... .. ...... .. ..... ......... .. ................ 16 2.5 Interactivity ... ....................................... . ............ . ....... .. 16 2.6 Multimedia ................... .. ........... ... .. .. ....................... ... 18 2.6.1 Interactive Multimedia ........... ............. ................. 19 2.6.2 Advantages of Interactive Multimedia ......... ........... 20 2.6.3 Disadvantages of Interactive Multimedia .. . .............. 22 2.7 Intelligent Multimedia Systems for teaching and learning . ... 23 2.8 Concluding Points .......... .. .. .... . ... ................. .. ............. . 25 Ill 3.0 Evaluating Educational Software 3.1 Introduction ............................................................... 28 3.2 Why Evaluate? .................................................. ......... 30 3.3 Widely used evaluation techniques ................................. 32 3.4 Issues to be considered in evaluation of educational software ... . ............... ............... . ........... ... .... 34 3.5 Intelligent features .................. .. ................................... 35 3.6 Proposed appropriate evaluation technique ..................... .36 3.7 Evaluation of some educational packages ........ . ....... ........ .43 3.7.l Angle 3.3j ..... .... ........ ....... ........ . ........... .... ......... 43 3.7.2 The Equation Solving Tutor .................................. 46 3.7.3 OzSoils ........................ ..................................... 48 3.7.4 Diagnosis for crop protection ....................... .. ....... 50 3.7.5 Investigating Lake Illuka ................................. ..... 53 3.7.6 Exploring the Nardoo .... . .... . ........ ... ..................... 56 3.8 Reflection on evaluation ......................................... .. .... 59 4.0 Designing Intelligent Multimedia Tutoring Systems 4.1 Introduction ............................................................... 61 4.2 Design Issues ...... ................... ... .. ... ....... .. .............. ...... 62 4.2.l Feasibility and Use of multimedia .......................... 62 4.2.2 Type of instruction ............... ................. .. .. ... ...... 63 4.2.3 Motivational Issues ........................ ............. ....... 64 4.2.4 Feedback design ............. .. ........................ ......... 64 4.2.5 Screen Design ........ . ............... ... ......................... 65 4.3 Problems in Multimedia system design ............................ 65 4.4 Design Models ........................................... ............... . . 70 4.4.1 Models and Fidelity of Models ............. ...... ........... 70 4.4.2 Design Methodologies ...... ................................... 72 4.5 Diagnosis Design ......................................................... 79 4.5.1 Problems in Diagnosis design ................................ 79 4.5.2 Representing Diagnosis ........................................ 80 4.6 Discussion ... .......................... .. ...... ... . .. ......... .. ....... .. ... 81 IV 5.0 Cognitive Issues, Intelligent features and Human Issues 5.1 Introduction .... ...... .... ........ ...... ......... ...... ............. .... ... 83 5 .2 Leaming theories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 5.3 Cognitive Issues and Human Factors .............................. 89 5.3.1 Comprehension ... ..... .............. .......... .................. 90 5.3.2 Metacognition ................................................... 91 5.3.3 Interactivity .... .. ....................... . .... ......... .... ....... 92 5.3.4 Perception and attention ...................................... 94 5.3.5 Memory .......... ....................... .......................... 95 5.3.6 Active learning ... ...... ............................ ............. 95 5.3.7 Motivation . .......................................... ...... ....... 96 5.3.8 Locus of control ................ .... ......... .................... 97 5.3.9 Visualisation ..................................................... 98 5.3.10 Cognitive Tools .... ...... . ..... .. ... ........................... 99 5.4 Intelligent Features ..................................................... 101 5.4.1 Student Modelling .............. ... ............. .. .. ........... 102 5.4.2 Feedback ..... ...... ..... ..... .. .. ................................ 106 5.4.2.1 Timing of feedback .................................... 108 5.4.3 Learner control ........................................ .......... 109 5.5 Appropriate elements for Diagnosis ................................. 111 5.6 Discussion ................................................................. 113 6.0 Diagnosis : From Game to ITS 6.1 Introduction ................................................................ 116 6.2 Shortcomings in Diagnosis ........................................... . . 117 6.3 Proposed alterations to enhance Diagnosis ......................... 118 6.4 Detailed Design Suggestions .......................................... 118 6.4.l Error types ....... ................................................. 118 6.4.2 Feedback .......................................................... 120 6.4.3 Player Model ..................................................... 122 6.4.4 Previous session details ....................................... 123 6.4.5 Classification of Problems .................................... 124 6.4.6 Style of Presentation ........................................... 125 v 6.4.6.1 Presentation for poor player ........................ 126 6.4.6.2 Presentation for average player ................... 126 6.4.6.3 Presentation for good player ........................ 126 6.4.7 Initial diagnosis and remedy .................. ............... 127 6.4.8 Reference Book .................. .... ..... ............... ........ 128 6.4.9 Guided Builder ....... .. .................................. ....... 128 6.5 Do the proposed changes make Diagnosis intelligent? ......... 130 6.6 Discussion .................. .................................... ............ 134 7.0 Conclusion and Further Work 7.1 Introduction ................ ... ... . .. ..................................... . 136 7.2 About the research..... . ........................................ .... 136 7.3 Further Work: What else could be done to Diagrzosis? .......... 138 7.3.1 Situated Leaming ............ ...... .. ........ .................. 139 7.3.2 Why Situated learning? .... ................. .................. 141 7.3.3 Combining Situated learning and Gaming ............... 143 7.3.4 Problems to be addressed ................................ .... 144 References ................................................................................. 145 Appendix A: System description of the packages mentioned .............. 156 Appendix B: Characteristics of good Educational Software ................ 162 Appendix C: Essential use cases of Diagnosis ................................... 164 Appendix D: Screens from Diagnosis Version 2.1 .............................. 200 Appendix E: Object Diagram for Diagnosis ..................................... 210 Appendix F: Algorithmic description of proposed changes ............... 226 Appendix G: Sample screens for proposed Diagnosis ....................... 249 VI Figure 2.1 Figure 3.1 Figure 3.2 Figure 3.3 Figure 3.4 Figure 3.5 Figure 3.6 Figure 3.7 Figure 3.8 Figure 3.9 Figure 3.10 Figure 3.11 Figure 3.12 Figure 3.13 Figures ITS Architecture ........... ....... ............. . .. . ....... .............. 13 Spiral diagram of curriculum design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 A heuristic for viewing evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Dimensions of Interactive Leaming Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Checklist for Evaluation I .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. ... .. .... . 41 Checklist for Evaluation II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 General structure of Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Checklist for ANGLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 General structure of Equation Solving Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Checklist for The Equation Solving Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 General structure of OzSoils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Checklist for OzSoils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 General structure of Diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Checklist for Diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Figure 3.14 General structure of Investigating Lake Illuka ... ...... .. . .. . 54 Figure 3.15 Checklist for Investigating Lake Illuka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Figure 3.16 General structure of Exploring the Nardoo ................. 57 Figure 3.17 Checklist for Exploring the Nardoo .. .... .... .. . . .......... ...... 58 Figure 4.1 Anatomy of an intelligent multimedia system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Figure 4.2 Responsibilities of the Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Figure 4.3 Hypothesized relationship of fidelity and learning 72 Figure 4.4 Figure 4.5 Figure 4.6 Figure 4.7 Figure 4.8 Figure 5.1 Figure 5.2 Figure 5.3 Figure 5.4 Tasks in model development ....................................... 73 Model for Multimedia Design............................. ......... 74 Multimedia Development Lifecycle ... ......... .................. 74 Design envelope for Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Different models identified in the SMISLE project . . . .. . . . . . . 78 Cognitive model/"real-world" dilemma ....................... 87 Epistemological paradigm shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Interactive Leaming . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 User Model Uses...................................................... 104 Figure 6.1 Components of Builder module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Vll Figure 6.2 Figure 6.3 Figure 7.1 Figure 7.2 Vlll Pattern of user Performance in each problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Pattern of user Performance in each series of problems . . . .. 132 Cognitive Apprenticeship Model .. ..... . ........ .. ... ... ..... .... 140 Five Educational Goals ....... ......... .. .... ....... ..... ... ... ....... 142 

Towards a synthesis of multimedia and intelligent tutoring systems : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University

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Towards a synthesis of multimedia and intelligent tutoring systems : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University

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