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Tanya H. Vulanovic, PhD e-mail: thrubik@kent.edu
Revised: Summer, 2013 |
Dissertation Presentations My dissertation could not be
completed without the great inspiration and support that I received from my
professors at Kent
State University and especially from my dissertation committee,
Dr. Cindy Kovalik, Dr. Albert Ingram, Dr. Aryn Karpinski, and Dr. Jason
Schenker. Kent State University supported me
as a student in every way and I am grateful and proud to be KSU alumna. · pdf file - Dissertation presentation
· OhioLink - official dissertation abstract I hope that my current and future work will contribute
to the development of educational software and to even better integration of
that software into the courses. EFFECTS OF
INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEMS IN BASIC ALGEBRA COURSES ON SUBSEQUENT MATHEMATICS
LECTURE COURSES Abstract The
purpose of this study was to investigate how intelligent tutoring system
ALEKS, which was implemented in remedial Basic Algebra courses, affected
students’ success in subsequent lecture courses and how former ALEKS students
and instructors in lecture courses perceived ALEKS learning environment. ALEKS courses were delivered in emporium
style: instructors were available to answer students’ questions, while ALEKS
guided students through online exercises individually based on their skills
and knowledge. The
participants were students from four mathematics lecture courses and their
instructors. Some students took
remedial courses in ALEKS prior to the lecture courses while some students
did not. The quantitative part of the
study compared ALEKS and non-ALEKS students on the final examination and
students’ self-reported-preparedness.
The qualitative part of the study discussed students’ and instructors’
perceptions of ALEKS based on student surveys and instructor interviews. No difference between ALEKS and
non-ALEKS students was found in final examination scores and
self-reported-preparedness. Students
rated learning experience in ALEKS emporium on average at 2.74 on the scale
of one to five, with five being the highest.
One third of students liked studying at their own pace and ALEKS
content (they rated ALEKS emporium at 3.29), while one fourth claimed that
“nothing was good” in emporium courses (they rated ALEKS emporium at
1.55). Although ALEKS emporium was very
different from lecture courses, only one fifth of students reported changes
in their study habits. The instructors
did not observe any difference between ALEKS and non-ALEKS students and
mentioned benefits of ALEKS-like tool for drill-and-practice. One instructor
observed positive shifts in student attitude towards mathematics but advised
longer study to be conducted to confirm this observation. Providing
a choice to students between online and lecture courses, while increasing the
role of instructors in online courses, may result in better student
satisfaction. Students could also be
gradually trained to effectively use online resources. The design changes in ALEKS could include
the replacement of the “pie” with the bar chart, different types of feedback,
explanation of how assessments are done, and ability to revisit problems on
assessments. |
