Embedding adaptation levels within intelligent tutoring systems for developing programming skills and improving learning efficiency

Abstract

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) represent the virtual learning environment that provides learning needs, adapts to the characteristics of learners according to their cognitive and behavioral aspects, to reach desired learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of embedding some adaptation levels within intelligent tutoring systems on developing Object-Oriented Programming skills (OOP), as well as on learning efficiency for students of the computer science department, Faculty of Science and Arts at Qassem University. In this context, the author developed an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) that provides multiple levels of adaptation (Learner level, links level) to support automatic adaptation to each of the students' characteristics and investigate the effectiveness of the system on dependent variables. The random sample consisted of (n=44) students. Those students were divided into two similar groups, Experimental an (ITS), and Control (face-to-face, traditional). The findings revealed that there was a noticeable improvement in the students' performance for the experimental group than the control group how used face-to-face method for the programming skills and learning efficiency.