Authoring Interactive Exercises in ActiveMath
Abstract:
This paper describes an authoring environment for exercises in a web-
based learning environment ActiveMath. This tool offers WYSIWYG
authoring of multi-step interactive exercises, represented as finite state
machines, in which the authors can visually manipulate the graph of an
exercise, edit the states and transitions of an exercise and run the edited
exercise in each step of its creation. It combines features similar to those
of systems such as Maple T.A.(TM) for creating tests and assignments
and Pseudo Tutors created with CTAT - Cognitive Tutors Authoring
Tools.
The user interface for editing steps of an exercise with interactive ele-
ments is comparable to the one in Maple T.A.TM, also semantic evalua-
tion of the learners answer using a Computer Algebra System (CAS) is
possible. Among other features, similar to Maple T.A.TM is a possibil-
ity to create parameterized exercises using randomized variables in the
exercise solution space.
On the other hand, visualizing the exercise graph and authoring dif-
ferent solution paths by modeling possible learner’s answers (correct or
incorrect) is similar to the behaviour recorder of CTAT when authoring
Pseudo Tutors. Also the highly semantic knowledge representation of
an exercise allows for further semantic analysis of the log data after the
learner’s interaction with an exercise.