Intelligent Tutoring and the Development of Argumentative Competence
Abstract
This ethnographical study aims to interpret how an intelligent tutorial system, geogebraTUTOR, mediates to the student’s argumentative processes. Data consisted of four geometrical problems proposed to a group of four students aged 16–17. Qualitative analysis of two selected cases led to the identification of the development of argumentative competences by the students, as well as the level of influence produced to them. As regards the influence of geogebraTUTOR on the students, the study revealed that the interactions of tutor–teacher–student produced a significant number of mathematical learning opportunities of ‘thinking strategically’ type; establishing figural inference conjectures and fostering the transition from empirical to deductive argumentations.
Keywords
Intelligent tutorial systems GeogebraTUTOR Mathematical learning opportunities Argumentative competence Geometry problem solvingAbbreviations
- DGS
Dynamic geometry software
- MLO
Mathematical learning opportunities
- ITS
Intelligent tutorial systems
- ggbTUTOR
GeogebraTUTOR
Notes
Acknowledgments
The work reported herein is part of the research project EDU2011-23240, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education. The authors wish to thank the teachers and students of the Pius Font i Quer secondary school from Manresa for their collaboration and the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.
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