An Open System Architecture for the Integration of Multiple Microworlds and Multiple Tutoring Systems

Abstract

This paper proposes a new framework to integrate tutoring systems with microworld systems. While varieties of microworld systems and ITSs (Intelligent Tutoring Systems) have been developed as CAIs, most of them restrict the subject to learn. The present authors have already reported the system architecture that seamlessly integrate multiple microworlds that were independently developed for different subjects to teach. This architecture has standardized the message types, event types, and their processing to provide each component as a reusable object transportable across different microworlds. This architecture has enabled us to develop integrated learning systems whose functions are hard to be provided by a single independent system. This paper further tries to integrate multiple tutoring systems together with multiple microworlds by making their component functions as reusable objects. We have also introduced autonomous agents. Therefore, the tutoring functions can be activated not only by students' operations, but also by these agents. The reusable components for tutoring functions and agents have brought the following improvements: (1) Tools and components brought from other microworlds can be used in cooperation with those in the local microworld. (2) Tutoring systems can reuse already existing components and tools developed for other purposes. (3) Multiple tutoring systems can reside in a single microworld. (4) Even those microworlds with tutoring functions can freely import and export components and tools to and from each other. Furthermore, the provision of reusable components to construct ITS would also make it possible to integrate ITSs and microworlds.