GIFT

Summary: In this tutorial, we will showcase the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring (GIFT). GIFT is an open-source, community-driven, service-oriented platform for the creation, delivery, and analysis of computer-based tutoring. The tutorial will provide participants with hands-on experience using GIFT functions that support research and implementation of personalized learning experiences. Specifically, GIFT’s adaptive course flow features will be reviewed and demonstrated, with considerable hands-on time spent developing GIFT lessons and gaining familiarity with GIFT tools and authoring workflows.

Intended Audience: This tutorial is broadly relevant to researchers interested in the design, development, and evaluation of adaptive learning technologies in the AIED and Learning Sciences communities. The tutorial will serve three primary functions. First, the tutorial will showcase recent developments in authoring and modeling functions supported by GIFT for building adaptive lesson materials. Second, it will introduce attendees to ongoing efforts to develop and extend GIFT’s instructional capabilities, such as data-driven pedagogical models induced using reinforcement learning techniques. Third, the tutorial will provide an open forum for discussion on the future direction of GIFT development, as well as how the community can influence future undertakings. There are no prerequisites for successful participation in the tutorial, but there will be recommended readings prior to attendance, which will aid participants in better understanding the goals and motivation behind the GIFT project. In addition, each attendee will require an account on the GIFT website for access to the cloud version of the software. Participants will be provided with instructional content in the domain of human anatomy that will be used to build a GIFT adaptive lesson.

Expected Outcomes: Participants are expected to leave the tutorial with a deeper understanding of GIFT, including its capabilities, tools, and architecture. By the end, each attendee will have a registered account on https://gifttutoring.org, which provides access to the online cloud-based version of GIFT as well as source-code access. All participants will have created a complete lesson that showcases the adaptive instruction, assessment, and remediation capabilities of GIFT. This lesson will serve as an exemplar from which participants can develop their own adaptive learning experiences in the future. Participants will be connected to the broader GIFT community through their introduction to the website, forums, and online resources. In addition, all participants will leave with an understanding of how GIFT can be modified/extended to support their own research interest.

To Get Started: To get started, please visit https://gifttutoring.org to learn more about the GIFT Project and to create an account for access to the cloud version of the software. Once registered, you will have access to all GIFT-related publications (under the 'Documents' tab) and GIFT Cloud (press 'Launch GIFT Cloud' icon from homepage).

Please stay tuned as more details and information on the event will be provided as the conference approaches. Specific recommended read-ahead documents and slide-shows will be provided prior to the event as introductory material to familiarize attendees with the tools that will be demonstrated and the concepts that will be instructed.

If there are any questions, please reach out directly to the organizer: Benjamin Goldberg (Benjamin.s.goldberg.civ@mail.mil)