Intelligent tutoring systems for teaching algebra: the handling of student misconceptions

Abstract

With the coming of the computer age, many technological advances have made everyday life easier. There are auto­ mated machines to keep bowling scores and scanners check out merchandise in grocery stores. It is only natural and expected that computers would be found in the classroom. Interactive video is used for class­ room instruction. This technology is also known as Computer Aided Instruction (CAI). Roughly defined, CAI is a method by which student(s) are taught through the use of a computer. When the word "intelligent" is added, the idea becomes INTELLIGENT COMPUTER AIDED INSTRUCTION (ICAI). Now the classroom system can learn from and Instruct the student(s). The main focus of this paper is on analyzing faulty behavior. It has been found that "children can even be observed to employ two different buggy procedures in solving almost identical problems within a single session." [2] So some type of methodology must be designed to classify faults. Many systems have approached the problem in different ways. The DIAGNOSTIC CONSULTANT [2] observes the child to determine his trouble. In the West system [1], an ISSUE RECOGNIZER and an ISSUE EVALUATOR are used to develop and maintain a model of student behavior. Each procedure will monitor the student's behavior for less than optimal solutions as well as for buggy actions. The BUGGY MODEL [4] deals primarily with arithmetic and introduces the diag-