HYPEREX: an intelligent tutoring hypertext system for learning programming

Hypertext techniques applied in teaching environments arouse considerable interest as they allow students to construct learning paths directed by their own aims and knowledge. However, for the very reason that hypertext allows knowledge construction through exploration, it stimulates talented students but tends to penalize those less skilled in self-managing their learning process. We present HYPEREX, an intelligent, hypertext system realized in TOOLBOOK and OPENSCRlPT environments, which proposes exercises on the Pascal programming language, with a tutorial component which can guide the student by pointing out any gaps or incorrect knowledge he may have. Artificial intelligence techniques have been integrated with hypertext technology to enable both free navigation in the hypertext and system intervention on request.