In following Dr. Mondridou’s suggestion I googled PAT (P? Algebra Tutor).

The top of the google search list PAT (Personal Algebra Tutor) marketed through  Cyber Ed, Inc. seems to be a very verbose ASCII based tutor with graphics when needed.  It doesn’t really lend itself to being inviting especially towards students who are having difficulties with Algebra.  But it does give a good comparison list of it’s competitors and how it is so much cheaper and how it overshadows all of them here.  Some of the competitors listed are:

• Algebrator
• Begatrix Algebra 2
• WebMath Personal
• Algebra Point
• Algebra Solver

BUT… I don’t think this PAT is the correct PAT that Dr. Mondridou referred to.  Here what I think she meant.

• PUMP Algebra Project, by Ken Koedinger and John Anderson.  Unfortunately it seems like this is now no longer functioning as the link they give for examples goes nowhere. Although it does look like Carnegie Learning may have integrated the PAT application as mentioned in the page as this “Carnegie Learning (TM) at www.carnegielearning.com or by calling (412) 683 – MATH”.  It looks like it was developed on Mac OS 9 per the screenshots.  It looks like it is now marketed by Carnegie Learning as “Cognitive Tutor® Algebra I”….

WOW!  THIS IS AMAZING.  There is a downloadable Cognitive Tutor Authoring Tools Kit.  I found this through following the development of Dr. Koedinger’s PAT.  Go here to check it out.

NEXT EPIPHANY… Carnegie Mellon has started a site that is called the Open Learning Initiative which seems to be the next step for intelligent tutoring systems. I tried out two of the French courses and it seems neat but I hope the instructor didn’t use all the “intelligent” tutoring aspects of the platform because it was simple question answers taken from videos.  We’ll keep you updated…