Abstract:

Solving a multitude of today's global challenges takes needs rapid advances in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Humanities, and Mathematics (STEAM) disciplines. The world is looking for ever more scientists and engineers skilled at their profession. In reality, however, due to perceived difficulty of these subjects and frustrations in learning the contents, many potential future professionals, who are students today, are driven away from these fields. To alleviate this problem, personalized tutoring with computer based tutors is a viable solution. Until a few years ago, making a personalized, computer based intelligent tutoring system constituted hundreds of hours of intense work from computer programmers and it was an expensive endeavor. The recent introduction of freely available (for educational purposes) software called Cognitive Tutor Authoring Tools (CTAT) has enabled every teacher - who is not a computer programmer - build his/her own tutors.

In this presentation, we demonstrate the efficacy of such tutors internationally, and make a case for increasing international collaboration. For this work, tutors were made with CTAT based tools. Using GUI based tools, and drag and drop interfaces, teachers can create a user interface that students interact with. Teachers can demonstrate desired student behavior as the 'correct' way to solve a problem and scaffold learning with supportive hints when students make errors originating from common misconceptions.

These tutors were implemented across students from different parts of the world: In the United States of America, India, and Philippines. Using fine-grained data collected from student interaction with our tutors, we demonstrate that the tutor is effective in improving student learning. In one study, a group of N=53 students were divided into 2 groups: tutored group and control group. The pre-test and post-tests were administered to both groups. Data on students' test scores was analyzed using quantitative methods and t-test statistics, Tutored group of students showed a whopping learning gain, progressing from pre-test score of 48% to a post-test score of 94%. The control group test scores remained fairly constant, going from pre-test score of 45% to post-test score of 44%.

With this presentation, we show that CTAT based tutors provide a very effective and inexpensive way for teachers from all over the world to swiftly improve student learning, promote social equity, and produce highly skilled graduates in STEAM fields. The authors are actively seeking international collaboration to broaden participation in such tutors and to develop more tutors that may be useful in specific disciplines.

Keywords:

Intelligent Tutoring Systems, STEAM Education, STEM Education, Engineering Education, Science Education, Distance Education, Virtual Learning, e-learning.