Abstract
Researchers and educators have been developing tutors to help students learn by solving problems. The tutors vary in their ability to generate problems, generate answers, grade student answers, and provide feedback. At one end of the spectrum are tutors that depend on hand-coded problems, answers, and feedback. These tutors can be expected to be pedagogically effective, since all the problem-solving content is carefully hand-crafted by a teacher. However, their repertoire is limited. At the other end of the spectrum are tutors that can automatically generate problems, answers, and feedback. They have an unlimited repertoire, but it is not clear that they are effective in helping students learn. Most extant tutors lie somewhere along this spectrum.In this article we examine the feasibility of developing a tutor that can automatically generate problems, generate answers, grade student answers, and provide feedback. We investigate whether such a tutor can help students learn. For our study, we considered a tutor for our Programming Languages course, which covers static and dynamic scope (i.e., static scope of variables and procedures, dynamic scope of variables, and static and dynamic referencing environment of procedures in the context of a language that permits nested procedure definitions). The tutor generates simple and complex problems on each of these five topics, solves the problems, grades the students' answers, and provides feedback about incorrect and missed answers. Our evaluation over two semesters shows that the feedback provided by the tutor helps improve student learning.
- Anderson J. R., Corbett, A. T., Koedinger, K. R., and Pelletier, R. 1995. Cognitive tutors: Lessons learned. J. Learning Sci. 4, 2, 167--207.Google Scholar
- Arnow, D. and Barshay, O. 1999. WebToTeach: An interactive focused programming exercise system. In Proceedings of Frontiers in Education Conference (San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nov. 1999), session 12a9.Google Scholar
- Baldwin, D. 1996. Three years experience with Gateway Labs. In Proceedings of Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Conference (Barcelona, June 1996), ACM Press, New York, 6--7. Google Scholar
- Barker, D. S. 1997. A computer-managed homework, assignment and response, learning and instruction environment. In Proceedings of Frontiers in Education Conference (Pittsburgh, Penn., Nov. 1997), session S4D.Google Scholar
- Barrows, H. S. 1986. A taxonomy of problem-based learning methods. Medical Edu. 20, 481--486.Google Scholar
- Belmont, M. V., Guzman, E., Mandow, L., Millan, E., and Perez-De-La-Cruz, J. I. 2002. Automatic generation of problems in web-based tutors. In Virtual Environments for Teaching & Learning, L. C. Jain et al. (eds.), World Scientific.Google Scholar
- Bloom, B. S. and Krathwohl, D. R. 1956. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. Longmans, Green, New York.Google Scholar
- Bonar, J. and Cunningham, R. 1988. BRIDGE: Tutoring the programming process. In Intelligent Tutoring Systems: Lessons learned. J. Psotka et al. (eds), Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, N.J., 409--434.Google Scholar
- Bridgeman, S., Goodrich, M. T., Kobourov, S. G., and Tamassia, R. 2000. PILOT: An interactive tool for learning and grading. In Proceedings of the SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (Austin, Tex., Mar, 2000), ACM Press, New York, 139--143. Google Scholar
- Brusilovsky, P. and Su, H. 2002. Adaptive visualization component of a distributed Web-based adaptive educational system. 2002. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems, (June 2002), LNCS 2363, Springer Verlag, New York, 229--238. Google Scholar
- Cavalcante, R., Finley, T., and Rodger, S. H. 2004. A visual and interactive automata theory course with JFLAP 4.0, In Proceedings of the 35th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (Norfolk, VA, Mar. 2004), 140--144. Google Scholar
- Dancik, G. and Kumar, A. N. 2003. A tutor for counter-controlled loop concepts and Its evaluation. In Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education Conference (Boulder, Colo., Nov. 2003).Google Scholar
- Etheredge, J. 2004. CMeRun: Program logic debugging courseware for CS 1/2 students. In Proceedings of the 35th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (Mar. 2004), 22--25. Google Scholar
- Fernandes, E. and Kumar, A. 2005. A tutor on subprogram implementation. J. Comput. Small Colleges 20, 4 (May), 36--46. Google Scholar
- Fernandes, E. and Kumar, A. 2004. A tutor on scope for the programming languages course. In Proceedings of the 35th SIGCSE Technical Symposium (Norfolk, Va., Mar. 2004), 90--95. Google Scholar
- Franke, R. H. and Kaul, J. D. 1978. The Hawthorne experiments: First statistical interpretation. Am. Sociological Rev. 43, 623--643.Google Scholar
- Hristova, M., Misra, A., Rutter, M, and Mercuri, R. 2003. Identifying and correcting Java programming errors for introductory computer science students. In Proceedings of the 34th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (Feb. 2003), 153--156. Google Scholar
- Johnson, W. L. 1986. Intention-Based Diagnosis of Novice Programming Errors. Morgan Kaufman. Google Scholar
- Kashy, E., Sherrill, B. M., Tsai, Y., Thaler, D., Weinshank, D., Engelmann, M., and Morrissey, D. J. 1993. CAPA, an integrated computer assisted personalized assignment system. Am. J. Phys. 61, 12, 1124--1130.Google Scholar
- Koffman, E. B. and Perry, J. M. 1976. A model for generative CAI and concept selection. Int. J. Man Mach. Stud. 8, 397--410.Google Scholar
- Kostadinov, R. and Kumar, A. N. 2003. A tutor for learning encapsulation in C++ classes. In Proceedings of the ED-MEDIA 2003 World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (Honolulu, June 2003), 1311--1314.Google Scholar
- Krishna, A. and Kumar, A. 2001. A problem generator to learn expression evaluation in CS I and its effectiveness. J. Comput. Small Colleges 16, 4 (May 2001), 34--43. Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. N. 2005. Results from the evaluation of the effectiveness of an online tutor on expression evaluation. In Proceedings of the 36th SIGCSE Technical Symposium (St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 2005), 216--220. Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. N. 2004. Generation of demand feedback in intelligent tutors for programming. In Proceedings of the 17th Canadian Conference on Artificial Intelligence (London, Ont., May 2004). Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, vol. 3060, Springer Verlag, 444--448.Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. N. 2002a. A tutor for using dynamic memory in C++. In Proceedings of the 2002 Frontiers in Education Conference (Boston, Mass., Nov. 2002).Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. N. 2002b. Model-based reasoning for domain modeling in a web-based intelligent tutoring system to help students learn to debug C++ programs. In Proceedings of the Intelligent Tutoring Systems Conference (Biarritz, June 2002), 792--801. Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. 2001. Learning the interaction between pointers and scope in C++, In Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (Canterbury, UK, June 2001), 45--48. Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. N. 2000. Dynamically generating problems on static scope. In Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (Helsinki, July 2000), 9--12. Google Scholar
- Kumar, A. N., Schottenfeld, O., and Obringer, S. R. 2000. Problem based learning of static referencing environment in Pascal, In Proceedings of the 16th Annual Eastern Small College Computing Conference (Scranton, Pa., Oct. 2000), 97--102.Google Scholar
- Odekirk-Hash, E. and Zachary, J. L. 2001. Automated feedback on programs means students need less help from teachers. In Proceedings of the 32nd SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (Feb. 2001), 55--59. Google Scholar
- Reiser, B., Anderson, J., and Farrell, R. 1985. Dynamic student modelling in an intelligent tutor for LISP programming. In Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (Los Altos, Calif., Aug. 1985), 8--14.Google Scholar
- Shah, H. and Kumar, A. N. 2002. A tutoring system for parameter passing in programming languages. In Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (Aarhus, Denmark, June 2002), 170--174. Google Scholar
- Singhal N. and Kumar, A. 2000. Facilitating problem-solving on nested selection statements in C/C++. In Proceedings of Frontiers in Education Conference (Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 2000), IEEE Press. Google Scholar
- Weber, G. and Brusilovsky, P. 2001. ELM-ART: An adaptive versatile system for web-based instruction. Int. J. Artif. Intell. Edu. 12, 351--384.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Generation of problems, answers, grade, and feedback---case study of a fully automated tutor
Recommendations
Automatic Generation of Problems and Explanations for an Intelligent Algebra Tutor
Artificial Intelligence in EducationAbstractIntelligent tutors that emulate one-on-one tutoring with a human have been shown to effectively support student learning, but these systems are often challenging to build. Most methods for implementing tutors focus on generating intelligent ...
Automating Human Tutor-Style Programming Feedback: Leveraging GPT-4 Tutor Model for Hint Generation and GPT-3.5 Student Model for Hint Validation
LAK '24: Proceedings of the 14th Learning Analytics and Knowledge ConferenceGenerative AI and large language models hold great promise in enhancing programming education by automatically generating individualized feedback for students. We investigate the role of generative AI models in providing human tutor-style programming ...
Automated Feedback, the Next Generation: Designing Learning Experiences
SIGCSE '21: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science EducationThe SIGCSE Technical Symposium is a wonderful venue for learning about innovative tools of all sorts for teaching and learning programming. We are at the cusp of a new focus for tool research and development, and this presentation proposes a vision for ...
Comments