Describes those features that distinguish human tutorial explanations from those produced by computer-based instructional systems utilizing natural language interfaces. This is illustrated through a study conducted on an intelligent instruction system, drawing comparisons between student interaction with a human tutor and the system feedback.…

Discusses users' perceptions of computers versus human beings as advice givers in problem-solving situations based on two studies conducted at Stockholm University (Sweden). Examines people's self-confidence and perception of advice, and concludes that perception relates to existing attitudes, experience, and domain knowledge. (Author/LRW)

Presents an authoring environment dedicated to the development of curriculum and course material that can be handled by an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). The adopted curriculum model is Curriculum Representation and Acquisition Model (CREAM) which represents subject-matter content from the domain, the pedagogical, and the didactic points of…

This article presents a framework for the cognitive diagnosis of learners' errors in an interactive learning activity occurring in an intelligent learning environment. The proposed framework supports the implementation of an authoring tool. This tool helps instructional designers to specify the features of a component for cognitive diagnosis. Two…

This article describes the evolution of communication technologies, accompanying transformations in everyday communicative activity, and pedagogical possibilities these tools support in second and foreign language (L2) settings. We begin with an overview of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) and uses of the Internet to mediate…

Purpose: To expose engineering students to using modern technologies, such as multimedia packages, to learn, visualize and solve engineering problems, such as in mechanics dynamics. Design/methodology/approach: A multimedia problem-solving prototype package is developed to help students solve an engineering problem in a step-by-step approach. A…

HyperProb is a Hypercard tutoring system designed to help students develop an effective step-by-step schema for solving probability problems. With this program, students are able to select areas they wish to study via hypermedia links and develop an understanding of terminology and procedures at their own pace with continued reinforcement. Nine…

The essays collected in this volume are concerned with the field of computer-based intelligent instruction. The papers are organized into four groups that address the following topics: particular theoretical approaches (3 titles); the development and improvement of tools and environments (3 titles); the power of well-engineered implementations and…

This paper demonstrates that an electronic tutoring program can collect data that enables a far more reliable assessment of students' skills than a standard examination. Socratic electronic homework tutor, CyberTutor can integrate effectively instruction and assessment. CyberTutor assessment has about 62 times less variance due to random test…

Using distance learning techniques and the World Wide Web, the U.S. Army War College has developed a computer-based intelligent tutorial that leads students through an assessment of the world, focusing on principal characteristics of one of six major geographical regions. Describes the disciplined analysis methodology and the World Wide Web as a…

Examines the educational potential for intelligent agents as cognitive tools. Discusses the role of intelligent agents: managing large amounts of information (information overload), serving as a pedagogical expert, and creating programming environments for the learner. (AEF)

Reports on the development of a composite learner model for adaptive tutoring systems that combines a model of learner attributes with a simple overlay model of the learner's domain knowledge state. The system is able to select the optimal form of learning material to be presented for the subject. (MJP)

Describes a Web-based information literacy tutorial, OASIS (Online Advancement of Student Information Skills), developed at San Francisco State University. Discussion includes: core competencies identified; design structure and content; planning and marketing; problems and partnerships in the pilot year of OASIS; restructuring the OASIS tutorial;…

The goal of personalised eLearning is to support e-learning content, activities and collaboration, adapted to the specific needs and influenced by specific preferences of the learner and built on sound pedagogic strategies. One of the major challenges to the mainstream adoption of personalised eLearning is the complexity and time involved in…

The aim of this paper is to summarise how pronunciation feedback on the phoneme level should be given in computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) in order to be effective. The study contains a literature survey of feedback in the language classroom, interviews with language teachers and their students about their attitudes towards…