An evaluation agent that simulates students' behaviour in intelligent tutoring systems

Intelligent tutoring systems are meant to provide individualised tutoring to students by adapting the teaching material to their specific needs and abilities. However, their development is a hard task and the end-result is difficult to evaluate. In this paper we present a novel approach for the evaluation of these systems, which relies on an agent that may be used as a simulated student-user. The evaluation agent incorporates modelling techniques of real users that are based on both cognitive and temperamental data. The cognitive model is based on cognitive psychology and simulates the memorisation and retention capabilities of a student. The temperamental data creates an image of the student concerning the way she/he behaves and the kind of personality she/he has. Developers may evaluate the tutoring systems using the agent rather that real students. Thus better quality of the end result may be achieved at no cost of the educational process.