1. 1 ICCSA 2005 Tutor Writer Tool for Creating a Tutor as a Java Applet Kazumi Slott, M.S. Rika Yoshii, Ph.D. ryoshii@csusm.edu Computer Science Department California State University, San Marcos

2. 2 What We Developed Tutor Writer: an authoring tool for creating interactive tutors as Java applets. Tutor Writer: an authoring tool for creating interactive tutors as Java applets. –Individualized help and exercise sequences based on student performance. –For any subject matter –Interprets the pedagogical information given in the input file DeCEN: a web-delivered CALL tutor that helps EFL/ESL students develop their own reasoning habits in determining the countability of English nouns. DeCEN: a web-delivered CALL tutor that helps EFL/ESL students develop their own reasoning habits in determining the countability of English nouns. (used by CSUSM students) GOAL == projects for making interactive, individualized tutors available over the Internet. www.csusm.edu/public/rika

3. 3 DeCEN’s Main Features Made Possible by the Tutor Writer Based on the Irvine-Geneva strategy [Bork01][Yoshii04] adaptive learning and individualized pacing through analysis of student answers. adaptive learning and individualized pacing through analysis of student answers. frequent interactions to provide help quickly and to obtain as much information from the student as possible. frequent interactions to provide help quickly and to obtain as much information from the student as possible. avoiding simple multiple choice questions so that useful information about student misconceptions can be gathered. avoiding simple multiple choice questions so that useful information about student misconceptions can be gathered. mastery learning to prevent students from moving onto the next part with incomplete knowledge. mastery learning to prevent students from moving onto the next part with incomplete knowledge.

4. DeCEN Demonstration Looking at interaction features Looking at interaction features

5. 5 Tutor Writer: Authoring Tool The only tool allowing Irvine-Geneva style to be built as a Java applet. The only tool allowing Irvine-Geneva style to be built as a Java applet. Specify all pedagogical information in the textual input file. No need to program. Specify all pedagogical information in the textual input file. No need to program. Checks for syntax and semantic errors in the input file and gives error messages. Checks for syntax and semantic errors in the input file and gives error messages.

6. 6 Tutor Screens A tutor == multiple screens to which the student goes by clicking a button A tutor == multiple screens to which the student goes by clicking a button Pedagogical Designer must: Pedagogical Designer must: 1. Design overall flow : what each screen does; sequence of screens, then 2. Design details of each screen

7. 7 Screen Components A screen can have multiple components A screen can have multiple components –Message/text areas –Picture areas –Screen and figure/picture labels –Rectangle borders to split a screen –Check boxes/menus/text input fields for student answers –Pop-up windows for hints and messages –Clickable buttons (Continue, Submit, Next)

8. 8 Interaction Tools for Each Screen To display a hint for the given student answer To display a hint for the given student answer To set up counters for right and wrong answers To set up counters for right and wrong answers To specify how many times a given screen can be revisited To specify how many times a given screen can be revisited To hide buttons as they become unavailable To hide buttons as they become unavailable To show components of another screen To show components of another screen

9. 9 Input File 1. Declare all screen components with their generic attributes (such as location, size, color and font) 2. For each screen, - specify the components and interaction tools to be used - set their screen dependent argument values The order per screen is not important The order per screen is not important

10. Input File Example -************** Declarations of frame and screen components *************** -== Set up the main frame ============================================= frame(700, 500, white, yes) -== Declare screen components ================================= ---message areas (location-size, colors, text font) msg_normal(370, 50, 310, 275, white, black, 16+times_roman+plain) msg_wide(25,50,650,200,white,black,14+times_roman+plain) ---picture area (location-size) pic_photo(10, 50, 325, 325) ---the next screen button (label, location-size, colors, font) btn_Next(Next >, 350, 470, 90, 25, light_gray, black, 16+times_roman+bold) -- the answer submit button (label, location-size, colors, font) btn_Submit_1(Submit, 370, 440, 80, 25, light_gray, black, 16+times_roman+bold) -- screen title label lbl_title(white, 20+times_roman+bold, blue, 0, 0, 700, 30) -- input answer field input_answer(300, 330, 300, 20, white, black, 14+times_roman+plain) -- pop up window for hints pop_Wrong(Not quite., 0, 150, 700, 150, white, red, 14+times_roman+plain)

11. -*********************** Specification Section ************************ ------------------------Specify the starting screen name ------------------------------------- first(screen_1) ------------------------- screen 1 -------------------------------- <screen_1> lbl_title(Learn the Model) -- display a message area with the given text msg_message(The circle named " Appliances " contains all kinds of appliances.) -- display a picture area with the given picture pic_picture(applicance1.jpg) -- display the next button to go to screen 2 btn_Next(screen_2)………… ---------------------- screen_4 -------------------------------------- <screen_4> lbl_title(Model Question) pic_picture(test1.jpg) msg_message(What would you call things under Circle A?) -- input spec (case sensitivity, ignore punctuation, list of correct answers) input_answer(no, yes, member/instance) -- screens to go to for correct and wrong answers btn_Submit_1(screen_5, screen_6) -- set up counters for this screen count(rInput, wInput) ------------------ screen_5 ----------------- <screen_5> ---- can visit this only 3 times or go to the fail screen ----- repeat(3, fail) msg_wide(Let’s review the model again) btn_Next(screen_1) ---- Please refer to the paper for examples of other input types (menu/check boxes) and hiding buttons

12. 12 Error Messages Syntax error examples Syntax error examples –Missing or wrong punctuation –Wrong argument types –Wrong number of arguments Semantic error examples Semantic error examples –Missing specification –Using undeclared components or tools –Wrong button usage

13. 13 Running the Tutor Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater (Netscape 7 or greater) Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater (Netscape 7 or greater) Java plugin 1.4.0_01 or greater Java plugin 1.4.0_01 or greater Make a folder and put tools.jar in it Make a folder and put tools.jar in it Create an html file and add Create an html file and add <APPLET CODE =“tools.class” ARCHIVE=‘tools.jar” <APPLET CODE =“tools.class” ARCHIVE=‘tools.jar” WIDTH=xxx HEIGHT=xxx> WIDTH=xxx HEIGHT=xxx> in the body in the body

14. 14 Cont. Put the pedagogical input file in the same directory Put the pedagogical input file in the same directory Put picture files in the pictures directory under the same directory Put picture files in the pictures directory under the same directory Open a browser and open the html file. Open a browser and open the html file. Open the Java console Open the Java console Correct errors and click the Refresh button Correct errors and click the Refresh button Upload the program onto a web site Upload the program onto a web site

15. 15 Conclusion Provides designers a set of components and tools needed to develop their own tutor without knowledge of programming. Provides designers a set of components and tools needed to develop their own tutor without knowledge of programming. Provides error messages for designers to help them fix errors Provides error messages for designers to help them fix errors No other authoring tool can create, as Java applets, interactive individualized tutoring systems that embody the Irvine- Geneva Strategy. No other authoring tool can create, as Java applets, interactive individualized tutoring systems that embody the Irvine- Geneva Strategy.

16. 16 Future Tasks Have teachers use the authoring tool. Have teachers use the authoring tool. Assess the ease of using it. Assess the ease of using it. Graphical user interface of the authoring tool – no need to memorize syntax Graphical user interface of the authoring tool – no need to memorize syntax Use of a database to save students’ performance records between sessions. Use of a database to save students’ performance records between sessions. Incorporate video segments. Incorporate video segments.