Intelligent and Interactive Web-Based Tutoring System in Engineering Education: Reviews, Perspectives and Development

Due to the rapid growth of the use of computers and increasing use of the Internet in education a large number of Web-based educational applications have been developed and implemented. However, very few of them are pedagogically intelligent and interactive for learning purposes. The Web-based intelligent learning has become more effective in the past decade due to increasing use of the Internet in education. A literature search indicates that there is a lack of relevant comprehensive research concerning the efficiency of computer-assisted instructions used in engineering education. The main focus of the research described in this chapter is on the comprehensive review of design and development of the Web-based authoring tool for an Intelligent Tutoring System in engineering education. The chapter outlines and discusses important issues of the development of Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) in engineering education with an example of the development of a Web-Based Computer-Assisted Tutorials and Laboratory Procedures (WCALP). 1 Computers in Education The computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in education effectively began in the late 1950s with the use of time-sharing computers, where communication was mainly through the mainframe computers. Hativa (1989, p. 81) suggested that ... the computer-assisted instruction (CAI) systems designed for the same educational objectives may be based on entirely different concepts and methods of operations and may produce different students attitudes and achievements. According to Atkinson and Wilson (1969), the three important factors that contribute heavily to the growth of computer-assisted instruction are: • Development of programmed instruction; • Mushrooming of electronic data processing; • Increasing aid to education sectors. 80 A.S. Patil and A. Abraham Kulik’s research in the 1980s was focused on the use of computer-mediated instruction and found positive research outcomes. The meta-analysis, conducted on 254 controlled evaluation studies showed positive learning effect of computerbased instruction (Kulik & Kulik, 1991). Kulik’s meta-analysis studies were carried out when software tutorial programs had limited options. Nevertheless, Kulik’s work has influenced educationalists and developers of computer-based instruction authoring systems for the last two decades. In an interesting study into assessing the effects of simulations and higher order thinking technologies with over 13,000 fourth and eighth grade students, Wenglinsky found gains in students’ mathematics scores (Schacter, 2003). Also, the higher order use of computers was affected positively on most students’ academic achievements. According to Pudlowski (1995), the use of computers in the teaching process should be considered as a supplement to available methods of instruction, rather than the universal remedy for all of the deficiencies that occur in the computer-based education. The three most common modes of CAI used in learning are: • Tutorials; • Drills and practices; • Interactive simulations. 1.1 Advantages of CAI Computer-assisted instruction plays a very important role in the modern education process and extensive research shows increasing evidence of the use of computers in the teaching-learning process. There is a body of evidence that computerassisted instruction, which focuses on higher-order learning in technical education, has been more effective than traditional instruction (Yaakub, 2001). It has been shown that computer-assisted instruction has many advantages in teachinglearning processes, including the following important elements: • Learners can progress at their own rate and pace. • Learners can have more individual considerations. • Immediate feedback is available. • Learner’s response can be recorded. • Visualisation is properly increased. • Remedial teaching is eliminated and the problem of discontinuance of learning is avoided. • A deeper analysis of transfer phenomena is permitted and facilitated. • An opportunity for the introduction of more effective methods for testing in the teaching/learning process is provided. • Qualitative and quantitative analysis of student achievements is facilitated. • Access to supplementary material through links is provided. • Several complex process and interactions can be explained in simple format. However, comprehensive research is required to determine the best methodology to be applied to the design and development of computer-assisted instruction, as well as the efficiency of the teaching/learning processes based on this particular method of instruction (Patil, 2004). Intelligent and Interactive Web-Based Tutoring System in Engineering Education 81 2 Computer Assisted Authoring in Engineering Education There has been significant growth in the use of computers in engineering education; this varies from classroom learning to remote wireless access distance learning. The most important and core part of computer-assisted instruction is to devise and design teaching algorithms. In order to develop any computer-assisted authoring program, two important components to be considered by the developers are: 1. High-performance software; 2. Accessibility. Advancements in sophisticated computer software tools and hardware technology have resulted in significant advances in courseware authoring tools. The use of modelling and simulation techniques in engineering education is becoming increasingly common over recent years. Early CAI programs were very simple with minimal interaction required. However the use of spreadsheets expanded considerably in the late 1980s and, since then, they are commonly used in almost all engineering disciplines. Advantages of using spreadsheet include the fact that they are easy to learn, easy to debug, and have appropriate graphic and scientific functions. Their excellent problem-solving speed made it especially popular in engineering education (Wankat & Oreovicz, 1993). The development of suitable software was somewhat complex due to the high degree of iteration, as well as problems with debugging. As a result, the availability of authoring tools was limited due to constraints with hardware platforms (Toogod & Wong, 1993). Since engineering education involves calculations and problem solving, symbolic algebra programs were designed and developed, such as Mathematica, Derive, Mapple, etc. However, in the last decade, parallel development had been evidenced with regard to hardware and software. This has occurred at an incredible rate and resulted in the development of commercial software applications like SPICE, pSPICE, ASPEN, LabVIEW, Labtech, WebCT, ToolBook and various CAD programs. Considering the common use of computer operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, dedicated CAI authoring packages like Authorware Professional for Windows have been developed as new generation software packages (Toogood & Wong, 1993). However, the various easily available commercial packages available in the marketplace can be very complex to use, expensive and lack those functions that are considered important for certain learning tasks (Ertugrul, 2000). 3 Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) An Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) has its roots in the generative Computerassisted instruction (CAI) and is often known as Intelligent Computer-Assisted Instruction (ICAI) (Sleeman & Brown, 1982). Computer-aided instruction were the forbears to ITS, which started in the late 1950s. The more sophisticated tutoring systems were developed due to the common use of artificial intelligence, which basically started in the 1970s. The intelligent CAI system has the potential 82 A.S. Patil and A. Abraham to provide the necessary interaction to suit various learners, and differentiates clearly between Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) and Intelligent Computerassisted instruction (ICAI) (Boulay, 1998). Table 1 briefly lists the main differences between CAI and Intelligent CAI. Table 1. Guide to differentiating intelligent CAI systems from CAI systems Computer-assisted instructional systems (CAI) Intelligent computer-assisted instructional systems (ICAI) Knowledgeable Can be intelligent Slow learning Tutor controlled Active feedback Highly knowledgeable Maximum intelligence Fast learning Student controlled Interactive feedback The Intelligent Tutoring System is one of the fast developing and most popular areas of Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL). According to Ong and Ramachandran (2000), the beauty of ITS technology is that it provides learners with highly interactive learning environments that enable students to practice their skills by carrying out learning tasks. The use of intelligent machines for teaching in education has been around since 1926, when Sidney L. Pressey built a machine with multiple choice questions and answers, which also provided immediate feedback to the user (Thomas, 2003). The three essential components or models of ITS are as follows: • Knowledge of the domain or expert model; • Knowledge of the learner or student model; • Knowledge of teacher strategies or instructor model (Thomas, 2003, Ong & Ramachandran, 2000). 3.1 Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems and Simulations The principle of AI made computers more useful, as well as intelligent, in order to utilise them in all the fields of human life. The application of AI principles is the next advanced step to a Web-based ITS, which began in the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, the influence of AI on software technology has considerably increased. As a result, the use of AI techniques in teaching/learning, such as expert systems, simulations and robotics, etc, has become a major factor in the development of Web-based intelligent authoring systems. AI is an advanced scientific technology that is used for efficient computer-based problem-solving techniques in various disciplines. The literature survey shows that the advancement in hardware and software systems has resulted in the development of numerous AI-based authoring tools with the help of sophisticated programming languages, such as LISP or Prolog. There are numerous interactive simulation tools developed in basic engineering disciplines, for example: a prototype of an intelligent case-based process planning system (Yang & Lu, 1993) and three-dimensional mechanical assemblies (Fang & Liou, 1993). However, most of these simulation systems are standalone in nature. Intelligent and Interactive Web-Based Tutoring System in Engineering Education 83 The important contribution of AI in computer-based education is to provide knowledge-based access to resources. Wilson and Welsh (1991) divided AI into three broad areas where knowledge-based systems or expert systems can have important implications for education and training. The history of computerised educational measurement system shows that each generation of educational measurement has shown an increased use of AI and expert systems approaches in order to improve educational measurement activities (Olsen, 1991). The four important generations highlighted by Olsen (1991) are: • Computerised testing; • Computerised adaptive testing; • Continuous measurement; • Intelligent measurement. In engineering, science and technology subjects, most of the concepts comprise of mathematical calculations, complex phenomena and graphical representations. Students need to practise in order to familiarise and understand the concepts. Simulations and computer modelling are the most suitable techniques, which provide the proper learning environment. Wedekind (1988) outlined the common structure of all computer simulation programs used in computer-assisted learning and according to him computer simulation programs include input and output routines, plus numerical and graphical routines. ITSs also have the advantages of incorporating simulations, which help in exercising and enhancing learners’ expertise in specific areas. SOPHIE, QUEST and STEAMER projects are a few examples of simulation-based tutoring systems. However, the special purposes simulation-based tutoring projects were developed in the late 1970s and 1980s. The sophisticated authoring systems such as; DIAG, RIDES, VIVIDS, etc, developed in the 1990s, provide essential graphical tools, so that students can interact with the software and use a variety of simulation techniques. These simulation techniques are easy to modify and maintain. An authoring system such as RIDES can also automatically generate instruction, which may include feedback and evaluation (Murray, 1997). 3.2 Working of an ITS The three major components of any ITS coordinate and work together in order to produce better learning outcomes. These components are listed as below: • Teacher strategies; • Learner knowledge; • Domain knowledge. Although each component has its specific identity and functioning ability, they always interact and coordinate with each other that help in guiding learners and interfacing them to expert in the subject. In a typical formal teaching situation, guidance is provided based on the learner’s performance observed and gained during the instruction. However, in ITS-based learning, highly interactive techniques, such as simulations, AI and expert systems are incorporated with the learning in order to perform the action. The information received by the learner is again used 84 A.S. Patil and A. Abraham as a feedback to provide further instructions and the cycle is repeated. Beck et al (1996) categorised ITSs on two dimensions, namely: abstraction of the learning environment and the knowledge type of the instruction. 3.3 ITS and World Wide Web Most of the traditionally developed ITSs use static media, such as CD-ROMs. However, it is very difficult to deploy the advancement and changes in the courseware in such systems; hence it is generally not suitable for basic learning strategies. The way to minimise the disadvantages inherent in traditional Intelligent Tutoring Systems is to utilise World Wide Web (WWW). Since its inception in 1990, the Internet (WWW or Web) has quickly emerged as a powerful new tool for connecting people and information on a global scale (Reed & Afjeh, 1998). The Web technology can also be utilised for various learning programs based on multimedia/hypermedia techniques. ITS developers mostly concentrate on designing a program that can provide effective instructions for the desired learning task. The developer’s task has become more advanced and useful but challenging due to the common use of Internet technology in educational instructional systems. Recently, several advanced ITSs have been used for open and distance learning in many universities that provide learners with adequate sources of learning material for unlimited, unconditional use via the Internet.