An experimental toolbox for advanced interactive learning environments

Abstract

The design of educational software has evolved during three decades, reflecting technical advances and changes in theories of instruction. In this project, we implemented some features of advanced interactive learning environments (ILEs): the multiplicity of teaching styles (the same content may be taught in several ways), the multiplicity of learning sources (experience, coaching, hypertext browsing), the use of a rich interface allowing direct manipulation and free exploration, the use of artificial intelligence techniques for creating complex problem situations and for supporting pedagogical reasoning.We developed an Experimental Toolbox for Interactive Learning Environments (ETOILE) and an application (MEMOLAB). ETOILE provides designers with a set of tools and resources allowing them to create their own ILE. Globally, ETOILE provides the pedagogical architecture while the designer provides the domain expertise and creates the specific parts of the interface. ETOILE is not an authoring tool that can be mastered by any genuine author, it is a toolbox to be used by designers with programming skills in Common Lisp and in CLIM (Common Lisp Interface Manager). ETOILE namely includes an Object-Oriented Production System, a hypertext, various interface management facilities and pedagogical knowledge bases.MEMOLAB is a learning environment for acquiring basic skills in experimentation methodology for human sciences. It illustrates the kind of systems that can be designed with ETOILE. MEMOLAB includes several components. The 'Lab' allows learners to build an experiment on human memory. The 'Simulation' produces the results of this experiment. The 'Data Tools' allow the learner to visualize the results and to compute basic statistics. During their activities, learners receive the assistance of a tutor. The system includes five different tutors, implementing various teaching styles. The learner may also explore the various hypertextes in which he can find knowledge about designing experiments and knowledge about human memory.The design of ETOILE and MEMOLAB reflects our efforts to translate a theory of development in terms of system specifications, namely to structure a learning session into a sequence of micro-worlds, each microworld being characterized by a specific interface language. The psychological theory is encoded in the relationship between the languages of successive microworlds. This kind of learning environment architecture is supported by the knowledge structures embedded in ETOILE.ETOILE and MEMOLAB currently have Beta Status. Both are available to the research community from our FTP server (Please contact the authors via e-mail for more information). A User Guide, and partially completed User Manual and Reference Manual are available.