Analysis of a causal modeling approach: a case study with an educational intervention

This paper explores the application of causal models to understanding data generated from a computer tutor. Mily’s World (http://users.wpi.edu/~dovan/coordinates.html) is a flash-based learning environment for coordinate geometry and featuring game-like properties such as a cover story and pictures. We were primarily interested in what class of students benefitted from this type of intervention, as well as which students preferred this style of instruction to traditional materials. Fifty eight students used the tutor and we collected survey data and their log records from the tutor. We analyzed the data using Tetrad (http://www.phil.cmu.edu/projects/tetrad), free software designed for causal modeling.