The Shell Tutor: An Intelligent Tutoring System For The UNIX Command Shell And Git
Jaxton Winder, Erik Falor, Seth Poulsen, John Edwards · 2024
The command shell and Git are important tools for computer scientists to learn and is taught in many computer science curricula. Many tools used by computer scientists are primarily interfaced through the command shell, such as Git. However, there have been few studies and interventions designed to assist in understanding student behaviors in the command shell and better teaching of it. This paper aims to provide an overview and reflection of a novel intelligent tutoring system we developed, the Shell Tutor, which assists in teaching students the command shell and Git. This paper will also analyze features of this tool to better understand student behaviors within the command shell while using this intelligent tutoring system: a logging system which will enable researchers to better understand student behaviors in using the tool and the command shell in general. A study conducted with students who used this tool illuminates the perceived effects on student learning and their perspectives of the tool, which are overwhelmingly positive.