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Empowering Education

Can Intelligent Tutoring Systems redefine the future of e-learning?

We live in an information age where 'learning' is the essential constant for growth. In order for science to progress, each generation of researchers must surpass the knowledge-level of a previous one. This sometimes means a lifetime of learning must occur just to move one step further in our development. "If humanity is to progress," states Dror Ben Naim, PhD student at UNSW "we must then optimize the way we teach." This realisation acted as a major catalyst for Dror, to found the Adaptive eLearning Research Group at UNSW Computing.

"What we are doing is combining Artificial Intelligence, Data Mining and Machine Learning methods together with high impact Human Computer Interface principles to build powerful Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS's). These Systems will push education forward". ITS's are classified as systems that adapt the content, sequence, difficulty and pace of an online learning activity, based on a student's performance.

For example, when students are taught how electricity is generated they learn about a concept in physics called "Faraday's Law". "The problem is, that many students will have a different background knowledge when they come to learn this, and if we design a 'one-size-fits-all' activity, we will probably bore the students that have the assumed knowledge, or overwhelm students who have difficultly. In the same sense that a human teacher would adapt his teaching style to each learner, we should design online activities to cater for such differences".

The Adaptive eLearning platform has developed into a cross-university project involving multiple schools throughout UNSW such as Economics, Medicine, and Music. "…and we're talking state of the art interactive, collaborative simulations here. Simulations which support the learning by doing method".

What we do," Dror explains, "redefines what University education is, and will affect students for years to come". Through the intensive strengths of research, innovation and collaboration the Adaptive eLearning Research Group are building powerful tools for students and teachers alike.

"UNSW Computing is a great place to be. There is a critical mass of interesting and creative people here, who are dedicated to push the boundaries of what is possible in eLearning. This will shape the way humanity is learning".