Learning IS active: an intelligent social learning system

This paper describes the design framework and some development issues of the project, LISA (learning IS active), which uses a network of computers to teach freshmen for the course 'Introduction to Computer Science'. The research is inter-disciplinary in nature, comprising computing, multimedia, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer network, etc. For example, different medium information provides multiple learning cues for the students while techniques of artificial intelligence allow the system to better adapt to individual student's needs. A novel element of this research is to engender student's initiatives or motives to learn by engaging the student in a learning environment with rich social context. Some pilot studies of the project have been conducted.<>