Teachers implementing pedagogy through REDEEM

Previous research has shown that teachers, working in computer supported classrooms, are often unhappy with what they perceive is the diminution of their role as educators. One solution to the problem of loss of control over the teaching and learning process is to provide teachers with tools to develop their own computer-based learning environments. The investigation presented here is a case-based evaluation of one such tool, the REDEEM authoring environment. REDEEM is designed to allow teachers to create intelligent tutoring systems by taking existing computer-based material as a domain model and then overlaying their teaching expertise. Three educators, one subject matter expert and two practising teachers, were observed using REDEEM to create an ITS for primary mathematics. They were asked to author for a ‘virtual’ class of students and were given the opportunities to review the consequences of their authoring decisions by watching videos of the ‘virtual class’ interact with REDEEM. The evidence from an in-depth study of the participants’ interactions with REDEEM confirms that the authoring environment is usable by authors with no previous experience in computer-based learning and that teachers can use it to achieve ITSs which match the perceived needs of their pupils. In addition, REDEEM can provide opportunities for teachers to reflect upon their professional knowledge.