The Intelligent Helpdesk: Supporting Peer-Help in a University Course

  • Authors:
  • Jim E. Greer;Gordon I. McCalla;John Cooke;Jason A. Collins;Vive Kumar;Andrew Bishop;Julita Vassileva

  • Affiliations:
  • -;-;-;-;-;-;-

  • Venue:
  • ITS '98 Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems
  • Year:
  • 1998

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Abstract

Universities, experiencing growths in student enrollment and reductions in operating budgets, are faced with the problem of providing adequate help resources for students. Help resources are needed at an institution-wide and also at a course-specific level, due to the limited time of instructors to provide help and answer questions. The Intelligent IntraNet Peer Help Desk provides an integration and application of previously developed ARIES Lab tools for peer help to university teaching. One of its components, CPR, provides a subject-oriented discussion forum and FAQ-list providing students with electronic help. Another component, PHelpS, suggests an appropriate peer to provide human help. In both cases it is peer help, since the help originates from students themselves. The selection of the appropriate help resource (electronic or human) is based on modelling student knowledge and on a conceptual model of the subject material.