StepWise™ Virtual Tutor SBIR Phase II

Querium
3 May 201804:27

TLDRStepWise Virtual Tutor is an AI-powered educational tool designed to assist students in learning mathematics through mobile devices and laptops. It provides immediate feedback on each step of problem-solving, allowing for real-time correction and guidance. StepWise's error analysis identifies common mistakes and offers hints, ensuring students remain on track. Teachers benefit from detailed reports highlighting common errors, enabling targeted interventions. The software's success is evident from a study showing an 8% improvement in student scores after six weeks of use, with a 16% increase in linear equations and functions.

Takeaways

  • 📚 StepWise Virtual Tutor is an AI-based educational tool designed to assist learners in mathematics.
  • 🔍 It allows educators to see students' problem-solving steps, which is crucial for understanding their thought process.
  • 📱 Learners interact with StepWise on mobile devices and laptops, enhancing accessibility.
  • 🔄 Students receive immediate feedback on each step of their problem-solving, preventing them from getting stuck.
  • 💡 Hints and step-by-step guidance are available, ensuring learners can self-correct and learn effectively.
  • 🌟 The system awards stars for completing questions without errors or hints, encouraging accuracy and independence.
  • 🧠 StepWise's error analysis is a standout feature, identifying and responding to common student mistakes.
  • 👩‍🏫 Feedback from expert teachers, like Patty Hill, has been instrumental in shaping StepWise to benefit educators.
  • 📊 StepWise provides detailed reports to teachers, highlighting common errors and areas needing intervention.
  • 🚀 The system's approach to learning is scalable, with potential to expand into advanced mathematics and other disciplines.
  • 📈 A six-week study showed an 8% improvement in student scores and a 16% increase in performance on linear equations and functions.

Q & A

  • What is the primary goal of StepWise Virtual Tutor?

    -The primary goal of StepWise Virtual Tutor is to help teens and adult learners learn mathematics on mobile devices and laptops by providing immediate feedback on each step of problem-solving, catching students at their moment of confusion, and coaching them back on track.

  • How does StepWise Virtual Tutor assist students when they are stuck on a problem?

    -StepWise Virtual Tutor assists students when they are stuck by allowing them to ask for hints and even click a button to see turn-by-turn directions at any point while solving a problem.

  • What is unique about the error analysis feature in StepWise Virtual Tutor?

    -StepWise's error analysis feature is unique because it works with master teachers to identify common errors students make and how best to respond to them, regardless of when the student should have learned the concept.

  • How does StepWise benefit teachers in terms of grading and understanding student progress?

    -StepWise benefits teachers by providing detailed reports that show the percentage of students who made specific mistakes, allowing for targeted intervention and re-teaching of specific concepts.

  • What is the role of Patty Hill in the development of StepWise Virtual Tutor?

    -Patty Hill, an award-winning veteran teacher, was sought for her advice to ensure StepWise benefits teachers by providing insights into the time-consuming nature of traditional homework grading and the need for targeted interventions.

  • How does StepWise Virtual Tutor's approach to math education software differ from traditional methods?

    -StepWise avoids explicitly searching down every possible path and includes rules that describe not only the correct path but also common mistakes students make, making it more effective in guiding students.

  • What is the significance of the study of promise conducted during Phase Two of StepWise's development?

    -The study of promise during Phase Two demonstrated that students who used StepWise scored about 8% higher on the post-test after just six weeks, with a 16% higher score on linear equations and functions, indicating the effectiveness of StepWise in improving student performance.

  • Who is Dr. Elaine Kant and what is her contribution to StepWise Virtual Tutor?

    -Dr. Elaine Kant is Querium's Chief Scientist and has contributed to StepWise by encoding the knowledge of master teachers into the system, which is reusable and can be built upon for more advanced mathematics and other subjects.

  • What are the potential applications of StepWise Virtual Tutor beyond Algebra?

    -Beyond Algebra, StepWise has the potential to be applied to more advanced mathematics like precalculus and calculus, as well as to other subjects such as chemistry, physics, engineering, and even to professions like healthcare or trades.

  • Why is Algebra 1 considered a gatekeeper to success in high school and beyond?

    -Algebra 1 is considered a gatekeeper because it is a foundational subject that lays the groundwork for understanding more complex mathematical concepts, which are crucial for success in higher education and many career paths.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to StepWise Virtual Tutor

The paragraph introduces StepWise, an AI-based virtual tutor developed by Querium, designed to assist learners in mastering mathematics through mobile devices and laptops. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the problem-solving process over just the final answer. StepWise allows students to submit each step of their problem-solving for evaluation and receive immediate feedback. The system is designed to prevent students from getting stuck by providing hints and step-by-step guidance. It also includes error analysis, working with master teachers to identify and respond to common student mistakes. The system offers reports to teachers, highlighting common errors and allowing for targeted intervention. The paragraph also mentions the potential for StepWise to expand into more advanced mathematics and other fields.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡StepWise Virtual Tutor

StepWise Virtual Tutor is an artificial intelligence-based educational tool designed to assist students in learning mathematics. It operates by allowing students to submit each step of their problem-solving process for evaluation and receive immediate feedback. This tool is innovative because it provides real-time guidance, ensuring that students do not get stuck and can ask for hints or detailed directions when they encounter difficulties. The system is capable of recognizing and responding to common errors, making it a valuable asset for both students and teachers.

💡Problem-Solving Steps

Problem-solving steps refer to the sequence of actions or logical processes a student takes to solve a mathematical problem. In the context of the video, these steps are crucial because they reveal the student's thought process and understanding of the mathematical concepts involved. StepWise Virtual Tutor emphasizes the importance of these steps by evaluating them, providing feedback, and guiding students to correct their approach if necessary.

💡Immediate Feedback

Immediate feedback is the prompt response provided to students after they submit each step of their work. This feature of StepWise Virtual Tutor is highlighted as a key advantage because it allows students to correct their mistakes on the spot, enhancing their learning experience. The video suggests that such immediate feedback is more effective than traditional homework, where students might repeat mistakes without immediate correction.

💡Hints and Turn-by-Turn Directions

Hints and turn-by-turn directions are辅助功能 provided by StepWise Virtual Tutor to help students when they are stuck on a problem. These features are designed to guide students through the problem-solving process, offering suggestions or step-by-step instructions to help them reach the correct solution. The video emphasizes that these tools are available at any point during the problem-solving process, ensuring that students can receive assistance when they need it most.

💡Error Analysis

Error analysis is the process of identifying and responding to common mistakes made by students. StepWise Virtual Tutor is praised for its ability to recognize errors, regardless of when the student might have learned the relevant concept. The system works with master teachers to understand how to best address these errors, providing targeted feedback and coaching to help students correct their mistakes and improve their understanding.

💡Master Teachers

Master teachers are experienced educators with a deep understanding of their subject matter and effective teaching strategies. In the video, StepWise Virtual Tutor collaborates with master teachers to identify common errors and develop the most effective responses to these errors. This collaboration ensures that the system's feedback is informed by expert knowledge and is therefore more likely to be helpful to students.

💡Report for Teachers

The report for teachers is a feature of StepWise Virtual Tutor that provides educators with insights into their students' performance. The video mentions that this report can show teachers the percentage of students who made specific mistakes, allowing them to address these issues in real-time. This feature is particularly valuable because it enables targeted intervention, helping teachers to focus on the areas where their students need the most help.

💡Phase II SBIR

Phase II SBIR refers to the second phase of the Small Business Innovation Research program, which is a competitive grant program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development that has the potential for commercialization. In the context of the video, Querium is discussing the development of StepWise Virtual Tutor under this program, indicating that the tool has undergone rigorous testing and validation.

💡Precalculus and Calculus

Precalculus and calculus are advanced mathematical subjects that build upon the foundational concepts learned in algebra. The video suggests that the success of StepWise Virtual Tutor in teaching algebra could be extended to these more advanced subjects. This implies that the system's approach to learning and feedback could be applied to a broader range of mathematical disciplines.

💡Study of Promise

The Study of Promise is a research initiative mentioned in the video, conducted by Querium in partnership with WestEd, a leading education research organization. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of StepWise Virtual Tutor over a six-week period. The video reports positive outcomes, with students showing improved performance on post-tests, particularly in areas like linear equations and functions.

💡Algebra 1

Algebra 1 is a foundational mathematics course that is often considered a gatekeeper to success in higher levels of mathematics and related fields. The video emphasizes the importance of Algebra 1 and how StepWise Virtual Tutor is designed to help students succeed in this critical subject. By providing targeted feedback and support, the tool aims to ensure that students master the concepts necessary for success in algebra and beyond.

Highlights

StepWise Virtual Tutor is an AI-based tool that revolutionizes math learning by providing step-by-step feedback.

Students can't get stuck with StepWise as it catches them at their moment of confusion and guides them back.

Learners can request hints and see turn-by-turn directions at any point in problem-solving.

Upon completing a problem, students receive a summary and stars for error-free or hint-free solutions.

StepWise's error analysis is a standout feature, identifying and responding to common student mistakes.

The system can recognize and report mistakes from various educational levels, coaching students back on track.

Teachers benefit from detailed reports showing the percentage of students making specific mistakes.

StepWise allows for targeted intervention in teaching, enhancing educational outcomes.

The system avoids searching every possible path, focusing on common mistakes and correct steps.

Dr. Elaine Kant highlights the system's ability to encode master teachers' knowledge for reuse.

StepWise's foundational algebra skills can be expanded to more advanced mathematics and other disciplines.

Phase Two of Querium's Study of Promise showed an 8% increase in students' post-test scores after using StepWise.

Students scored 16% higher on linear equations and functions, significantly outperforming the control group.

Querium acknowledges Algebra 1 as a critical gateway to success in high school and beyond.

StepWise Virtual Tutor for Algebra is designed to support all students in achieving success.