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An automatic tutor for introductory programming students

Published:01 January 1975Publication History
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Abstract

This paper discusses an automatic tutor of programming, implemented on the PLATO IV CAI system [1] as a part of an automated instructional system for computer science being developed at the University of Illinois [8]. This tutor exposes the introductory student to structured programming concepts and top-down problem solution techniques by means of example. The student develops (on-line, using an approach based on stepwise refinement [11]) a solution to a single, relatively complex programming problem (symbolic differentiation of a polynomial). Student and tutor engage in an interactive dialogue during this problem-solving process, the tutor providing hints regarding solution steps, and comments about program structure and efficiency. A small sample of the types of responses the tutor might make is presented

References

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              cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
              ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 7, Issue 1
              Proceedings of the 5th SIGCSE symposium on Computer science education
              February 1975
              209 pages
              ISSN:0097-8418
              DOI:10.1145/953064
              Issue’s Table of Contents
              • cover image ACM Conferences
                SIGCSE '75: Proceedings of the fifth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
                January 1975
                221 pages
                ISBN:9781450373982
                DOI:10.1145/800284

              Copyright © 1975 ACM

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              Association for Computing Machinery

              New York, NY, United States

              Publication History

              • Published: 1 January 1975

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