Modelling Cognitive Style in a Peer Help Network

I-Help is a computer system that assists learners as they try to solve problems while learning a subject. I-Help achieves this by supporting a network of peers that help each other out. One component of I-Help selects appropriate peers to assist a student, and then sets up a one-on-one peer help session between the helper and the helpee. The matching of helper to helpee takes into account factors such as a potential helper's knowledge of the topic of the helpee's question; their availability and eagerness to help; and their general helpfulness. Recent work has developed a cognitive style component to supplement these attributes, which enables consideration also of the suitability of a helper’s cognitive style for answering the helpee’s question. This paper describes how modelling individuals' cognitive style can usefully supplement other user model data in a peer help network, and describes how this information is obtained in I-Help.