AuthorIT - Authoring Systems

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AuthorIT is used to represent the knowledge to be acquired and the kinds of problems to be solved.   Development times and costs are dramatically reduced because TutorIT makes ALL tutoring decisions (e.g., sequencing, generation of specific problems) automatically.  TutorIT  insures optimized diagnosis and/or instruction while offering a choice of adaptive learning, diagnosis, instruction, simulation and practice.  In short, AuthorIT represents a complete and totally new approach to building and delivering highly adaptive (intelligent) tutoring systems.  

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AuthorIT includes: 

Instructional designers and domain/subject matter experts use AutoBuilder's patented processes to perform Structural (cognitive task) Analysis (SA) on essentially any task domain.  AutoBuilder can be used to perform SA on declarative, procedural (including factual and case-based) and model based domains.  The domains may be well-defined or ill-defined.  Both behavior and underlying cognitive processes (what is to be learned) are specified in a clear unambiguous manner.  

The result is a rigorously defined Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) representation of the to-be-learned behavior and cognitive processes.  ASTs represent essentially any kind of domain specific knowledge, ranging from simple declarative and procedural (including factual and conceptual) knowledge to complex models of interacting systems.  Knowledge is represented at multiple but equivalent levels of abstraction, providing an unique foundation for essentially any kind of  tutoring.  

AuthorIT's BB Editor is used to specify how information is presented to and received from the learner.   In addition to text and simple figures, native support is provided for a wide variety of file types, including Macromedia (.swf), sound (.wav), picture (.bmp) and animation (.avi).  ActiveX objects also are supported.  The kind of input required of the learner (e.g., keyboard for text, mouse-click for position, multiple-choice for selection) is determined automatically from properties assigned to AST elements.  The author specifies the kind of evaluation to be used in judging learner responses (e.g., exact match, area clicked, external evaluation by learner or teacher).

A unique feature of AuthorIT is the ease with which delivery mode can be customized.  The author can easily specify a wide variety of learning or tutorial environments.  Basic forms of learning and instruction, such as adaptive, diagnostic, instruction, practice and simulation (see below), can be further customized by simply filling out a dialog box.

Sample Content is currently available.  

While this content is illustrative of what can be produced with AuthorIT, these examples barely scratch the surface.  AuthorIT's support for learning objects, including those built with powerful multi-media authoring systems, such as Macromedia's Flash and Swishzone's SWiSH, open opportunities limited only by the author's imagination.  

While reusable learning objects open new opportunities in instructional technology, deciding how to combine these learning objects to achieve given purposes is a major problem.  One can think of Model IT, for example, as an environment for specifying how multitudinous arrays of learning objects (e.g., produced by tools such as Macromedia Flash and Swishzone's SWiSH) are to interoperate.  TutorIT, in turn, uses the models (knowledge representations) created to automatically guide interaction with  learners. 

ATTENTION:  Subject Matter Experts, Instructional Designers, Software Engineers and Other Authors.

NOTE: Subject matter experts, instructional designers and teachers with computer skills are invited to become authors.

AuthorIT also is available for research purposes and to beta testers.  Beta testers will be free to develop their own content titles.  Scandura is making arrangements for distribution so authors will have a direct outlet for the courseware they produce using AuthorIT.  Once content meets commercial standards, it will be made available to the general public with authors receiving a royalty.   Please send a mail to Dr. Joseph M. Scandura if you wish to participate as a beta tester or an author.  

In you email please indicate the content areas in which you have the greatest expertise, your familiarity with instructional design and your level of software expertise.  AuthorIT is undergoing continuing development so please check for updates periodically.