A tutoring and student modelling paradigm for gaming environments

  • Authors:
  • Richard R. Burton;John Seely Brown

  • Affiliations:
  • Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts;Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts

  • Venue:
  • SIGCSE '76 Proceedings of the ACM SIGCSE-SIGCUE technical symposium on Computer science and education
  • Year:
  • 1976

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Abstract

This paper describes a paradigm for tutorial systems capable of automatically providing feedback and hints in a game environment. The paradigm is illustrated by a tutoring system for the PLATO game “How the West Was Won”. The system uses a computer-based “Expert” player to evaluate a student's moves and construct a “differential model” of the student's behavior with respect to the Expert's. The essential aspects of the student's behavior are analyzed with respect to a set of “issues”, which are addressed to the basic conceptual constraints that might prevent the student's full utilization of the environment. Issues are viewed as procedural specialists that “wake-up” or become active when an instance of an issue manifests itself in a move. These issue specialists help the Tutor isolate what to comment on. The intent of the system is to transform a “fun” game into a productive learning environment without altering the student's enjoyment.