I-MINDS: A Multiagent System for Intelligent Computer- Supported Collaborative Learning and Classroom Management

  • Authors:

  • Leen-Kiat Soh;Nobel Khandaker;Hong Jiang

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Center for Information Technology in Education, University of Nebraska, 256 Avery Hall, Lincoln NE 68588-0115, USA. E-mail: {lksoh,knobel,j ...;Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Center for Information Technology in Education, University of Nebraska, 256 Avery Hall, Lincoln NE 68588-0115, USA. E-mail: {lksoh,knobel,j ...;Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Center for Information Technology in Education, University of Nebraska, 256 Avery Hall, Lincoln NE 68588-0115, USA. E-mail: {lksoh,knobel,j ...

  • Venue:
  • International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education
  • Year:
  • 2008

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

I-MINDS provides a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) infrastructure and environment for learners in synchronous learning and classroom management applications for instructors, for large classroom or distance education situations. For supporting the instructor, I-MINDS includes a teacher agent. The teacher agent allows the instructor to interact with students, manage Q&A; sessions, administer quizzes, post evaluations, form groups and monitor individual and group performances. For computer-supported collaborative learning, I-MINDS, which stands for Intelligent Multiagent Infrastructure for Distributed Systems in Education, provides a student agent for each student. Each student agent monitors and models its user and carries out group formation with other student agents behind-the-scene. I-MINDS provides standard online collaborative features such as chat rooms and whiteboards and implements a structured cooperative learning mechanism called Jigsaw. The system also incorporates multiagent coalition formation algorithms for forming peer groups. I-MINDS also provides a group agent for each peer group that monitors and evaluates its assigned peer group. I-MINDS has been deployed and evaluated in an introductory computer science course (CS1). Results show that intelligent tools such as I-MINDS can be used in a real-time environment to support student cooperative learning activities, and also as a testbed to collect instructional or pedagogical data for better understanding of student collaborative learning. This paper describes the I-MINDS framework, implementation, deployment, and test results comprehensively.