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…

Well, I took a chance and emailed Dr. Moundridou in Greece to see if her Algebra expert tutor is one answer to extending students learning through an artificially intelligent algebra tutor.  Here’s what she said.

From: “Maria Moundridou” <mariamou@otenet.gr>
Subject: RE: Web Based Authoring Tools for ITS
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:49:37 +0200

Dear Gordon,

Thank you for your interest in our work.
Unfortunately, WEAR is not online anymore. It was developed by me and served
as the product and test-bed of my phd research. As it was not part of any
funded project, its development and maintenance froze by the time I
completed my PhD.

Concerning your research, I recommend “PAT Algebra Tutor” by Ken Koedinger,
John Anderson, et al. I think they are having some experimental versions of
their systems available online and you will find dozens of publications
reporting on PAT.

Best regards,
Maria

————————————————
Maria Moundridou
Assistant Professor
General Department of Education
School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (A.S.PE.T.E.)
141 21 Ν.Ηeraklion, Αthens, GR
e-mail: mariam@aspete.gr

So as you can see there may be something out there.

Stay tuned to hear more about PAT in the upcoming weeks…

Not much out there with what I’m looking for in terms of blogs. This subject seems to be heavily focused on research and not posting blogs but publishing articles at this time. Here are two leading articles that I found with a quick synopsis of each.

Jun, Youngcook. “Facilitating Mathematical Learning with a Peer Tutoring System: Lessons Learned.” Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching 22 (2003): 75-92.
Reviewed how to improve a software program titled “Linear Kid” with regards to formative evaluation with low and intermediate level students. The results noted that low level students watched how problems were solved while intermediate level students explored the various possibilities of problem solving. The researchers noted that there was some degree of frustration because it did not accommodate learning differences and that the program was not that engaging. This article shows where pitfalls may occur with my research and that I should always attempt to engage and address multiple learning differences and intelligences.

Moundridou, Maria, and Maria Virvou. “Analysis and Design of a Web-Based Authoring Tool Generating Intelligent Tutoring Systems.” Computers and Education os 40 (2003): 157-181.
Describes empirical study for WEAR (WEb based authoring tool for Algebra Related domains) for Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS). WEAR attempts to address the complex and time consuming process for developing an ITS for Algebra. It analyzes the attitudes and behaviors of students and instructors with this particular system and how a framework could be created modeling not only the stereotypical student learning differences but also instructor teaching and scaffolding differences to make an easier to use system for instructors to create intelligent tutors. This article directly relates to my research in showing me how complex a system I may need to build in order to potentially accommodate student and teacher differences in other schools and classrooms. This article dangles a carrot in front of me because if indeed the researchers believe that they have developed an excellent skeleton facilitating input of domain info then I might be able to use it for my research.

As Yoda would say,

No, this probably will be the only Star Wars reference I ever make on this blog but hopefully this one was enough of a hook for you to read on.

I would like to see if research and artificial intelligence (AI) have progressed to the point where instructors can utilize a base system to aid them with creation of an online expert tutor using AI.

I am nicknaming my AI the “Virtual Math Classroom” because a human teacher would not be able to easily administer, let alone teach, an entire classroom of 30+ students over the Internet without extreme duress. Not only would the teacher become stressed but also many students might grow frustrated and even learn less from this “distance learning” scenario. The at risk students would have an increased chance of “falling through the cracks”.

Through my initial research, it seems like there has been quite a lot of effort initiated throughout the last three decades. This initial research has not found web enabled virtual classrooms although I have faith they exist.

If through the next few weeks I don’t make much progress, I might possibly modify my focus to online tutoring through human to human interaction such as the trackback I’ve listed. There are many options for online tutoring as this blog so aptly discusses. It seems like there are also blogs that help create a stir that certain online tutoring sites are the latest and greatest such as 24hourstutor.com, thank goodness this trackback doesn’t even address this site because it seems that they are spamming many blogs out there. This trackback very eloquently lists several of the more prominent tutorial sites available such as:

• Tutor
• Smarthinking
• Eslyvan
• Tutorvista
• Transwebtutors
• Transtutors

Stay tuned….