Teaching the principles of mine fire using an intelligent computer-aided instruction

The purpose of this paper is to describe a feasibility prototype of a Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) system, developed for mining engineering students and mine and safety personnel to teach the complex interrelationships between a mine ventilation system and a mine fire. The system employs an artificial intelligence technique to increase students' involvement in the learning process of "interrogation and confrontation". To deepen the understanding of the problem, the author utilized heuristic as well as algorithmic methods combined to simulate, diagnose, and explain certain fire situations. The CAI system mentioned above uses extensively a mine fire simulator that enables a real time graphics animation of almost all the changes occurring in the ventilation network while under the influence of fire.