iSTART-ME:A Natural Language Game-Enhanced Comprehension Strategy Tutor
HE Xian-yo · Journal of South China Normal University · 2013
iSTART is a content comprehension strategy tutoring system in which students practice generating self-explanations and using reading strategics,intelligent Tutoring Systems(ITSs) are situated in a potential struggle between effective pedagogy and system enjoyment and engagement.iSTART employs two devices to engage the user.The first is natural language processing(NLP).Incorporating NLP within iSTART allows students to use their own thoughts and ideas to communicate with the system,and serves as the core intelligence of the system that is used to drive the feedback and the adaptive interactions during practice.Studies have shown that the NLP algorithms within iSTART perforin comparably to human raters and provide a good measure for the sophistication of student sell-explanations.The second device is the use of game-based practice.Skill mastery requires a significant commitment to practice over extended periods of time.Unfortunately,this persistent and repetitive practice is also associated with disengagement from the targel educational task.Therefore,a gaming environment was developed that integrates multiple combinations oi enjoyable,engaging game elemenls with the target practice tasks.This paper describes these Iwo principle aspects of iSTART and researches on their effectiveness.