Intelligent Tutoring System: Effective Tool for Open and Distance Learning

NWAOCHA Vivian1 and INYIAMA H.C2

(Department of Computer Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka)
(webdevee@yahoo.com1, hcinyiama2002@yahoo.com2 )

Abstract: An increasing number of adults, from a variety of age groups, income levels,
and backgrounds, recognise the need for, and the value of, lifelong education and thus
resort to open and distance learning. However, along with the great opportunity of open
and distance learning also come some challenges. Many of the challenges facing open
and distance learning today are connected with the changing needs of students. These
students are continuing to demand customisation of the learning process and seek
educational opportunities that are specific to their individual needs. Perhaps the most
common challenge is that learners feel somewhat isolated. To varying degrees, they feel
that they are alone in their quest. Related to the isolation factor is the fact that there is an
impersonal communication. Studies have also shown that some students find that the
open and distance learning environments limit their ability to learn in a way that matches
their learning style. On the other hand, intelligent tutoring systems customise tutoring
interactions to support different learners, provide immediate assessment of student
performance, and useful feedback that guides a learner to their learning goal in an
effective and efficient manner. This paper focuses on introducing a structured approach
in developing intelligent tutoring systems for open and distance learning. The systematic
tutoring approach presented in this work can play a significant role in ensuring effective
learning for the students. This would equally benefit the educational community, distance
learning practitioners and the government.

Key words: Design, Education, Human tutors, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Open and
Distance Learning, Structured Approach.

1. Introduction
Human tutors have been shown to be most effective and efficient in improving learning
and that fact remains true even today [2]. Thus mimicking human tutors using computers
is a worthwhile approach to extend open and distance learning [6]. Tutoring requires
creating computer systems that can imitate what human tutors accomplish with learners.

Specifically, the human tutors model how to solve the problem or apply their learning.
They provide activities for the learner to use the skills, observe the student’s performance
on the practice tasks, scaffold and guide the learner using hints and prompts, assess
student learning, and provide feedback. The tutoring component of intelligent tutoring
systems attempt to mimic ideal human tutors. Additionally, the intelligence in computer
systems is designed to “learn” from their interactions. Currently, intelligent tutoring
systems include the research on the learning cycle of interactivity, assessment and
feedback to help students achieve their learning goals using computer tools [6].

An intelligent tutoring system (ITS), broadly defined, is any computer system that
provides direct customised instruction or feedback to students, i.e. without the
intervention of human beings.[4] In particular, ITSs have the ability to provide learners
with tailored instructions and feedback. The basic underlying idea of ITSs is to realise
that each student is unique. The system is processed through artificial intelligent system
and specialised system in managing the knowledge and analysing learners in accordance
to their potential.

Based on the needs of learners, an effective Intelligent Tutoring System should aim at
supporting various needs of learners [3] and enhancing the potential of the learners for
better understanding of the lessons. In order to achieve these goals, a structured approach
is adopted in developing the system for open and distance learning. The tutor adapts the
problems the learners face as the supportive elements in creating the interaction between
learners and finally leads to better understanding.

2. Main Components of Intelligent Tutoring Systems

Researchers typically separate Intelligent Tutoring Systems into different parts, and each
part plays an individual function. Usually, most ITSs have four major components [9] as
illustrated in Figure 1:
(i) Knowledge domain;
(ii) Student model;
(iii) Teaching strategies;
(iv) User interface.

Figure 1. The main components of most Intelligent Tutoring Systems.

 a. Knowledge Domain:
The knowledge domain stores learning materials that the students are required to
study for the topic or curriculum being taught.

b. Student Model:
The student model stores information that is specific to each individual learner and
enables the system to identify different users. Usually, this information reflects the
system’s understanding of one learner’s current knowledge state. Thus, the student
model can track a student’s understanding and particular need. Without an explicit
student model, the teaching strategies component is unable to make decisions to
adapt instructional content and guidance (see Figure 1) and is forced to treat all
students similarly.

c. Teaching Strategies:
The teaching-strategies component refers to instructional techniques for teaching.
For example, the component decides when to present a new topic, how to provide
recommendations and guidance, and which topic to present. The assessment result
of the student model is input to this component, so the system’s pedagogical
decisions reflect differing needs of students. Thus, this component needs to take
appropriate actions to manage one-on-one tutoring, such as switching teaching
strategies and using a variety of teaching approaches at the appropriate times
according to the student’s particular needs and problems.

d. User Interface Component

The user interface component decides how the system interacts with a user. The
dialogue and the screen layouts are controlled by this component. A well-
designed interface can enhance the capabilities of an ITS by allowing the system
to present instructions and feedback to the student in a clear and direct way;
namely, student model, domain knowledge, pedagogical model, interface model,
and expert model. It is obvious that their system added “expert model” to the
system.

3. Designing an Intelligent Tutoring System for ODL

In this section, the procedure involved in designing intelligent tutoring systems for open
and distance learning is considered. While there are many variations on open and distance
learning environments, it has been observed that the major factor in their success comes
from enabling students reach a solution to each problem [7].

This paper proposes the structured approach in designing intelligent tutoring systems for
open and distance learning. This approach is intended to help learners by collecting the
necessary information to document how different students learn and what types of
tutoring activities can help with positive learning outcomes.
The steps involved in designing these are enumerated as follows:

Analysis: The analysis phase in designing intelligent tutoring systems requires

examining a set of tutoring interactions observed, recorded and studied. It
involves mapping of sequences of steps for achieving required learning goals and
analysing different paths through those steps that different learners may adopt so
that the tutors guide the learners effectively [1]. The ideal intelligent tutoring
environment attempts to identify which of the pathways the student is taking and
use the scaffolding techniques that are most useful for that learner. The outcome
of the analysis is a set of learning objectives and a documented procedure of a
learner’s initial introduction to the topic through the interactions of learning
activities, the assessment of their learning, and feedback on the desired result of
learning.

Interaction Design: The interaction design phase utilises the results of the
analysis step. Outcomes of the analysis step might be directly coded into screen
design, production rules, learning assessment rules, or feedback approaches.
Essentially, the screen design is based on the types of interactions and artifacts
that are required to re-create the tutoring scenarios for the learner. The production
rules require a very thorough review of the tutoring interactions to document
every step in the learning process. Assessment of student responses requires
careful documentation of what skills should be developed and the progression to
achieving that skill. Feedback to the student can take on different forms from
focused instruction on how to correct their work to hints that can guide the student
to re-thinking solutions [8]. Understanding how to engage students in really
learning from the system as well as giving the correct and most valuable feedback
to the learner is vital to developing intelligent tutoring systems for open and
distance education.

Development: This phase involves developing the intelligent tutoring system

based on the analysis and interaction design. This requires combining the
interface design with the rules of engagement to create the tutoring that is
delivered to the student. A typical application development environment is Flash.
This uses a .NET based C# interaction development language and offers an easy
web-based interactive environment for the user.

Formative Evaluation: The formative evaluation step plays a key role in

evaluating intelligent tutoring systems. This involves the conventional formative
evaluation of the learning modules as well as reviews of interactions by experts
and novices.
4. Improving Open and Distance Learning Environments.

Open and distance learning environments can be enhanced by applying the structured
approach in designing intelligent tutoring systems. Before developing open and distance
learning courses, the basic learning objectives for each module and sub-module should be
identified and carefully constructed. Subsequently, course notes and lectures prepared
and delivered by instructors are then employed in developing these courses.

By applying the systematic approach, the students are afforded the opportunity of
actually learning by means of an interactive environment. The following procedure
should be adhered to in designing intelligent tutoring systems for open and distance
learning:
i. The student’s interaction with the learning system must be built
ii. Input from the student should be used to gauge their learning
iii. Assessment of each student’s learning should be completed
iv. Feedback must be provided

5. Conclusion

This paper describes how intelligent tutoring systems could serve as a viable and
effective tool for improving open and distance learning. It is expected that awareness of
these systems will prompt more research on the effectiveness of these learning tools to
improve the success of distance education. The systematic tutoring approaches presented
in this paper can play a significant role in ensuring good learning for students. In the
same way, this approach will enable content designers to adapt their material to the
learners’ needs and in turn benefit learners, the educational community, distance learning
practitioners and the government.

References

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