Annabel Latham

Bio: Annabel Latham is an academic researcher from Manchester Metropolitan University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Intelligent tutoring system & Learning styles. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 31 publications receiving 523 citations.

A conversational intelligent tutoring system to automatically predict learning styles

Abstract: This paper proposes a generic methodology and architecture for developing a novel conversational intelligent tutoring system (CITS) called Oscar that leads a tutoring conversation and dynamically predicts and adapts to a student's learning style Oscar aims to mimic a human tutor by implicitly modelling the learning style during tutoring, and personalising the tutorial to boost confidence and improve the effectiveness of the learning experience Learners can intuitively explore and discuss topics in natural language, helping to establish a deeper understanding of the topic The Oscar CITS methodology and architecture are independent of the learning styles model and tutoring subject domain Oscar CITS was implemented using the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) model (Felder & Silverman, 1988) to deliver an SQL tutorial Empirical studies involving real students have validated the prediction of learning styles in a real-world teaching/learning environment The results showed that all learning styles in the ILS model were successfully predicted from a natural language tutoring conversation, with an accuracy of 61-100% Participants also found Oscar's tutoring helpful and achieved an average learning gain of 13%

An adaptation algorithm for an intelligent natural language tutoring system

Abstract: The focus of computerised learning has shifted from content delivery towards personalised online learning with Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS). Oscar Conversational ITS (CITS) is a sophisticated ITS that uses a natural language interface to enable learners to construct their own knowledge through discussion. Oscar CITS aims to mimic a human tutor by dynamically detecting and adapting to an individual's learning styles whilst directing the conversational tutorial. Oscar CITS is currently live and being successfully used to support learning by university students. The major contribution of this paper is the development of the novel Oscar CITS adaptation algorithm and its application to the Felder-Silverman learning styles model. The generic Oscar CITS adaptation algorithm uniquely combines the strength of an individual's learning style preference with the available adaptive tutoring material for each tutorial question to decide the best fitting adaptation. A case study is described, where Oscar CITS is implemented to deliver an adaptive SQL tutorial. Two experiments are reported which empirically test the Oscar CITS adaptation algorithm with students in a real teaching/learning environment. The results show that learners experiencing a conversational tutorial personalised to their learning styles performed significantly better during the tutorial than those with an unmatched tutorial.

On predicting learning styles in conversational intelligent tutoring systems using fuzzy decision trees

Abstract: Intelligent Tutoring Systems personalise learning for students with different backgrounds, abilities, behaviours and knowledge. One way to personalise learning is through consideration of individual differences in preferred learning style. OSCAR is the name of a Conversational Intelligent Tutoring System that models a person's learning style using natural language dialogue during tutoring in order to dynamically predict, and personalise, their tutoring session. Prediction of learning style is undertaken by capturing independent behaviour variables during the tutoring conversation with the highest value variable determining the student's learning style. A weakness of this approach is that it does not take into consideration the interactions between behaviour variables and, due to the uncertainty inherently present in modelling learning styles, small differences in behaviour can lead to incorrect predictions. Consequently, the learner is presented with tutoring material not suited to their learning style. This paper proposes a new method that uses fuzzy decision trees to build a series of fuzzy predictive models combining these variables for all dimensions of the Felder Silverman Learning Styles model. Results using live data show the fuzzy models have increased the predictive accuracy of OSCAR-CITS across four learning style dimensions and facilitated the discovery of some interesting relationships amongst behaviour variables.

Oscar: An intelligent conversational agent tutor to estimate learning styles

Abstract: Intelligent tutoring systems are computer learning systems which personalise their learning content for an individual, based on learner characteristics such as existing knowledge. A recent extension to ITS is to capture student learning styles using a questionnaire and adapt subject content accordingly, however students do not always take the time to complete questionnaires carefully. This paper describes Oscar, a conversational intelligent tutoring system (CITS) which utilises a conversational agent to conduct the tutoring. The CITS aims to mimic a human tutor by dynamically estimating and adapting to a student's learning style during a tutoring conversation. Oscar also offers intelligent solution analysis and problem support for learners. By implicitly modelling the student's learning style during tutoring, Oscar can personalise tutoring to each individual learner to improve the effectiveness of the tutoring. The paper presents the novel methodology and architecture for constructing a CITS. An initial pilot study has been conducted in the domain of tutoring of undergraduate Science and Engineering students using the Index of Learning Styles ILS) model. The experiments to investigate the estimation of learning style have produced encouraging results in the estimation of learning style through a tutoring conversation.

Near Real-Time Comprehension Classification with Artificial Neural Networks: Decoding e-Learner Non-Verbal Behavior

Abstract: Comprehension is an important cognitive state for learning. Human tutors recognize comprehension and non-comprehension states by interpreting learner non-verbal behavior (NVB). Experienced tutors adapt pedagogy, materials, and instruction to provide additional learning scaffold in the context of perceived learner comprehension. Near real-time assessment for e-learner comprehension of on-screen information could provide a powerful tool for both adaptation within intelligent e-learning platforms and appraisal of tutorial content for learning analytics. However, literature suggests that no existing method for automatic classification of learner comprehension by analysis of NVB can provide a practical solution in an e-learning, on-screen, context. This paper presents design, development, and evaluation of COMPASS, a novel near real-time comprehension classification system for use in detecting learner comprehension of on-screen information during e-learning activities. COMPASS uses a novel descriptive analysis of learner behavior, image processing techniques, and artificial neural networks to model and classify authentic comprehension indicative non-verbal behavior. This paper presents a study in which 44 undergraduate students answered on-screen multiple choice questions relating to computer programming. Using a front-facing USB web camera the behavior of the learner is recorded during reading and appraisal of on-screen information. The resultant dataset of non-verbal behavior and question-answer scores has been used to train artificial neural network (ANN) to classify comprehension and non-comprehension states in near real-time. The trained comprehension classifier achieved normalized classification accuracy of 75.8 percent.

Learning from Bullying Traces in Social Media

Abstract: We introduce the social study of bullying to the NLP community. Bullying, in both physical and cyber worlds (the latter known as cyberbullying), has been recognized as a serious national health issue among adolescents. However, previous social studies of bullying are handicapped by data scarcity, while the few computational studies narrowly restrict themselves to cyberbullying which accounts for only a small fraction of all bullying episodes. Our main contribution is to present evidence that social media, with appropriate natural language processing techniques, can be a valuable and abundant data source for the study of bullying in both worlds. We identify several key problems in using such data sources and formulate them as NLP tasks, including text classification, role labeling, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling. Since this is an introductory paper, we present baseline results on these tasks using off-the-shelf NLP solutions, and encourage the NLP community to contribute better models in the future.

Adaptive educational hypermedia accommodating learning styles: A content analysis of publications from 2000 to 2011

Abstract: Implementing instructional interventions to accommodate learner differences has received considerable attention. Among these individual difference variables, the empirical evidence regarding the pedagogical value of learning styles has been questioned, but the research on the issue continues. Recent developments in Web-based implementations have led scholars to reconsider the learning style research in adaptive systems. The current study involved a content analysis of recent studies on adaptive educational hypermedia (AEH) which addressed learning styles. After an extensive search on electronic databases, seventy studies were selected and exposed to a document analysis. Study features were classified under several themes such as the research purposes, methodology, features of adaptive interventions and student modeling, and findings. The analysis revealed that the majority of studies proposed a framework or model for adaptivity whereas few studies addressed the effectiveness of learning style-based AEH. Scales were used for learning style identification more than automatic student modeling. One third of the studies provided a framework without empirical evaluation with students. Findings on concrete learning outcomes were not strong enough; however, several studies revealed that suggested models influenced student satisfaction and success. Current trends, potential research gaps and implications were discussed.