Intelligent tutoring technology is on the verge of a breakthrough into the mainstream of training and education. Over the past 25 years, researchers have learned not only what it takes to develop an effective intelligent tutoring system (ITS), but also what it takes to deploy and use one--the true barometer of a technology's success. This volume brings together a cross-section of ITS researchers from academia, industry, and the government to talk about their experiences in ITS development and technology transfer, both successful and unsuccessful. Section 1 is devoted to detailed descriptions of tools and methods ITS developers can employ during development to facilitate technology adoption. It includes discussions of the paradigmatic change in learning and instructional design that ITS fosters, techniques for gathering design information for ITS domains where empirical or knowledge-based methods are inappropriate, and the conduct of cost-benefits analyses to facilitate ITS funding decisions. Sections 2 and 3 offer numerous case studies of ITS deployment from both industry and the government. All of these case studies--regardless of outcome--provide valuable insights into the dos and don'ts of ITS technology transfer. This volume will be an invaluable resource for all researchers and developers of ITS, as well as for managers and personnel in education and training organizations who must adopt and use ITS technology, and information systems and computing support organization professionals who must support it if it is to succeed.

Interactive Literacy Education combines the latest research and theory related to technology-based instructional design for children’s literacy development. It shows how technology can be used to build literacy learning environments that are compatible with students’ cognitive and social processes. Topics addressed throughout this enlightening work include: *technology environments and applications that preservice teachers can use with young children; *detailed information regarding the development and implementation of specific technological programs; and *various technologies, from interactive reading and spelling programs to speech recognition to multimedia, that teachers can use to enhance their literacy learning environments. Interactive Literacy Education is intended for graduate courses in methods of literacy instruction; educational technology; curriculum/curriculum design; general preservice education; special education; and applied psychology/cognitive studies. It is also appropriate for use as a supplement in undergraduate courses in methods of literacy instruction and educational technology.

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is a very broad and increasingly mature research field. It encompasses a wide variety of research topics, ranging from the study of different pedagogical approaches and teaching/learning strategies and techniques, to the application of advanced technologies in educational settings such as the use of different kinds of mobile devices, sensors and sensor networks to provide the technical foundation for context-aware, ubiquitous learning. The TEL community has also been exploring the use of artificial intelligence tools and techniques for the development of intelligent learning environments capable of adapting to learners’ needs and preferences and providing learners with personalized learning experience. Recognizing the potential of online social networks, social media, and web-based social software tools as learning platforms for online education, the TEL community has devoted significant time and effort into researching how these popular technologies could be combined with appropriate pedagogical approaches to make learning experience more engaging, satisfying, and successful. Among the most important results of these research endeavors are personal learning environments that allow learners to create mash-ups of diverse social software tools based on their own needs and preferences as well as to create and maintain their online learning networks. Undeniably, technological advancement is making education more accessible to an increasing number of people worldwide. To fully exploit the huge benefit the technology is offering, the TEL community is exploring effective approaches for adapting learning resources to address language, generation, and cultural specificities. Aiming to make learning accessible to all, the community has also focused on the development of solutions for learners with special needs. Finally, it should be noted that all the above mentioned research efforts of the TEL community are finding their applications in different learning contexts and domains, including formal education and informal learning, as well as workplace learning in small, medium, and large organizations. Since the scope of TEL research is constantly evolving, the above given overview of the current research efforts does not aim to be exhaustive by any means. Instead, its purpose is to give some insights into the breadth of research topics and challenges that this edited book aims to cover. The book comprises 14 chapters, which are topically organized into several sections. However, this division of chapters into sections is not strictly definitive as each of the chapters itself presents a comprehensive research work that often spans across diverse TEL areas and thus could be categorized into more than one section of the book.

Computer simulation-based education and training is a multi-billion dollar industry. With the increased complexity of organizational decision making, projected demand for computer simulation-based decisional aids is on the rise. The objective of this book is to enhance systematically our understanding of and gain insights into the general process by which human facilitated ILEs are effectively designed and used in improving users’ decision making in dynamic tasks. This book is divided into four major parts. Part I serves as an introduction to the subject of “decision making in dynamic tasks”, its importance and its complexity. Part II provides background material, drawing upon the relevant literature, for the development of an integrated process model on the effectiveness of human facilitated ILEs in improving decision making in dynamic tasks. Part III focuses on the design, development and application of Fish Bank ILE, in laboratory experiments, to gather empirical evidence for the validity of the process model. Finally, part IV presents a comprehensive analysis of the gathered data to provide a powerful basis for understating important phenomena of training with human facilitated simulation-based learning environments, thereby, help to drive critical lessons to be learned. This book provides the reader with both a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena encountered in decision making with human facilitated ILEs and a unique way of studying the effects of these phenomena on people’s ability to make better decision in complex, dynamic tasks. This book is intended to be of use to managers and practitioners, researchers and students of dynamic decision making. The background material of Part II provides a solid base to understand and organize the existing experimental research literature and approaches.

This book presents the refereed proceedings of the Third International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems, ITS '96, held in Montreal, Canada, in June 1996. The book contains 69 revised papers selected from a total of 128 submissions; also included are six invited papers from well-known speakers. All in all, the book reflects the state-of-the-art in the area. In particular the following topics are covered: advising systems, ITS architectures, cognitive models, design issues, empirical studies, formal models, learning environments, real-world applications, software tools for tutoring, student modelling, teaching and learning strategies, and multimedia and WWW.

This guide offer practical suggestions on facilitating interactive learning processes. The tools and techniques described in this book have been influenced by experiences gathered by the authors facilitating groups with students from different disciplinary backgrounds and cultures working together on analysis and solution of actual problems related to sustainable development. This guide is targeted for teachers or lecturers who intend to facilitate or introduce interactive learning processes in their teaching. The guide may also serve as a memory refresher for practicing facilitators. For a novice, it is a useful self-study guide to effectively and efficiently facilitate groups with diverse backgrounds and interests to achieve a common goal without going through the frustration of trial and error.