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Building an example-tracing tutor for fraction addition

Last updated January 11, 2007

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Run the student interface and Behavior Recorder
• 3. Create a start state
• 4. Demonstrate Solutions
• 5. Annotate solution steps
  • 5.1 Incorrect steps
  • 5.2 Hint messages
  • 5.3 Skill labels
  • 5.4 Save your changes
• 6. Test your tutor

You can follow this tutorial with either the Flash or Java version of fraction addition included with CTAT.

Prerequisites:

• CTAT 1.6+
• For Flash version of fraction addition:
  • Flash Player 7+
  • Student interface:
    {CTAT}\Projects\FlashFractionAddition\fractionAddition-mx.swf
• For Java version of fraction addition:
  • Student interface:
    {CTAT}\Projects\JavaFractionAddition\fractionAddition.class

1. Introduction

In this tutorial, you will use a completed student interface and CTAT's Behavior Recorder to author an Example-tracing Tutor for the fraction addition problem 1/4 + 1/6. You will author the tutor by demonstration, without programming.

An Example-tracing Tutor is primarily composed of a student interface (by default, CTAT supports Java and Flash student interfaces) and a Behavior Recorder Graph (described in a .BRD file) that stores data on the current problem. Multiple BRD's are often used with a single student interface.

When authoring an Example-tracing Tutor, both the student interface and Behavior Recorder must be running, as they communicate with one another during the authoring process. In Flash, the main component that initiates this communication is called the CommShell component.

2. Run the student interface and Behavior Recorder

The first step in authoring an Example-tracing Tutor is to open both the student interface and Behavior Recorder. For this, you have a choice between Java and Flash.

To open a Flash student interface for fraction addition:

1. Open a web browser window, and drag the fraction addition interface SWF listed above onto the web browser window. (Alternatively, if you have the Flash IDE, you can use it to open the SWF.)
2. Launch the Behavior Recorder for Flash.
3. Position the Behavior Recorder and Flash interface so that both windows are visible (see Figure 1 below).

Note: If Flash presents a security warning, follow the instructions to allow the fraction addition interface to connect to the Behavior Recorder.

To open a Java student interface for fraction addition:

1. Launch the Behavior Recorder.
2. Select File > Open Student Interface. Locate and open the fraction addition interface CLASS file listed above.
3. Position the Behavior Recorder and Java interface so that both windows are visible (see Figure 2 below).

Before interacting with the interface, you must first ensure that it has connected to the Behavior Recorder. The Flash interface reports its connections status via a status bar at the top of the CommShell. The status bar should show both a green indicator and the text Connected (see figure 3). If it doesn't, ensure that CTAT's Behavior Recorder for Flash is running. You may have to configure Flash's security settings so that the Flash interface is allowed to connect to the Behavior Recorder.

3. Create a start state

Once your interface is running and connected to the Behavior Recorder, the next step is to create the initial problem state, or "start state". In your student interface, enter the two fractions 1/4 and 1/6 in the Given Fractions column.

To make this state the start state for the given problem, select Graph > Create Start State in the Behavior Recorder. When prompted for a start state name, enter 1-4+1-6, and click OK. You should now see your start state in the Behavior Recorder as a new node titled "1-4+1-6".

4. Demonstrate Solutions

After creating a start state, demonstrate correct and alternate answers, as well as common errors, that students might make for this problem. The Behavior Recorder will record the demonstrated behavior in the form of a "behavior graph".

Ensure that the Behavior Recorder is in Demonstrate Mode (see Figure 4). Then demonstrate a correct solution to the problem. The Behavior Recorder records each demonstrated step as an 'edge'—the line connecting two nodes—in its graph. In the graph, actions are represented by edges, while states are represented by nodes.

You can demonstrate an alternative solution path—one which is correct but not preferred—by clicking on the start state node in the behavior graph, and demonstrating the solution steps for that path. For 1/4 +1/6, you might demonstrate a solution where the student multiplies the denominators to get a common denominator of 24. This solution is valid, but not preferred, as '24' is not the least common denominator. Preferred paths in the graph show thick lines for edges, while unpreferred paths show a thin line.

If you forget to include a solution step, click on the node that precedes that step (you'll see the student interface update to reflect the state of that node); then demonstrate your step.

5. Annotate solution steps

5.1 Incorrect steps

Now you will demonstrate an incorrect solution to the problem, so that the tutor will be able to recognize this error when it is used by students. In general, any student input that is not recognized by the tutor is marked as incorrect; but by defining incorrect steps in the graph, the tutor will be able to provide a customized error feedback message for the specified input.

For the current simple problem, we will focus on the error (presumed to be common by students who have not yet mastered fraction addition) that students may attempt to add the two denominators of the fractions without converting them. For the current problem, they would enter "10" as either of the converted denominators, or the answer denominator, rather than a common denominator such as '12' or '24'.

In the Behavior Recorder, first click on the start state; this will reset the interface to the start state. Next, type "10" in either of the fields for the denominator of the converted fraction. You should see a new link and state appear in the Behavior Graph.

By default, the Behavior Recorder assumes that any demonstrated solution step represents a correct step. When demonstrating incorrect actions, you therefore need to mark them explicitly as incorrect behavior. So right-click the edge that was created for an input of "10" and select Change Action Type > Incorrect Action (Bug) (see figure 4). At the prompt to edit the error message, enter an error message that the student will see when they perform this action.

You can repeat this process for any incorrect action. Note that when a student performs an incorrect action, the student will not advance past the incorrect edge.

5.2 Hint messages

You can attach hints to the links that represent correct actions. These hints will be displayed when the student requests a hint. Typically, multiple levels of hints are available for each action.

To define a hint message, click on a green action label displayed on an edge. From the pop-up context menu, select Edit Hint and Success Messages. Here you can define hints that will be shown to the student when they request a hint (see figure 5).

5.3 Skill labels

In this step you will add skill names (also known as production rule names or knowledge component labels) to the links in the behavior graph. The skill names correspond to the skills the student needs to perform in order to complete the problem. Later, if you create production rules for your tutor, you will create production rules that correspond to each skill name. When creating an Example-Tracing tutor, you do not need production rules, but the skill names will also be used for knowledge tracing.

To view and edit skills, you need to turn on the skill name display. This allows you to view the skill labels for each link. In the Behavior Recorder, select View > Skill Names from the menus. You should see some boxes labeled "unnamed" appear on the graph links. These boxes are your skill names.

To edit a skill name for an edge, right-click the skill name label for that edge and select Edit Skill Name (see figure 3). A dialog box titled "Edit skill name 'unnamed'" will appear.

In the Edit Skill Name box, enter a name for your skill. Subsequent skill name dialogs will allow you to choose from a list of existing skills that you have defined. The "Skill set" field refers to the category of the production rule, such as "fraction addition".

5.4 Save your changes

Select File > Save Graph (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-S or Cmd-S) to save the behavior graph.

6. Test your tutor

In this step you will test the tutor you have created. First, set the Behavior Recorder mode to Example-Tracing Mode (see figure 4). (Note that the Behavior Recorder resets the tutor to its start state.)

As you have seen, in Demonstrate Mode, the Behavior Recorder records demonstrated behavior. In Example-Tracing Mode, by constrast, the Behavior Recorder uses the Behavior Graph to trace and evaluate student behavior, a process we call "example tracing."

It is good practice to include "Done" action at the end of each path in your Behavior Graph, for two reasons: First, it is part of a cognitive skill to know when a problem is solved. Second, when you create a curriculum consisting of a series of problems, the "Done" action, when accepted by the tutor, is a signal to present the next problem.