TutorIT

Welcome to TutorIT, a new world of automated electronic tutors and learning systems.  

Unlike edutainment software that masquerades as instruction, the  series of tutorials ensure that learners actually learn.  Each lesson or curriculum (content) is systematically designed to insure learning. As a teacher, parent and/or learner, you will know at every step of the process exactly what is known and what is not.   

TutorIT is based on years of basic and applied research in complex structural learning and recent advances in software engineering, all under the direction of  Professor Joseph M. Scandura.   Prof. Scandura developed the Structural Learning Theory over 30 years ago, supervised a long series of basic research at the University of Pennsylvania proving the theory, and has spent 20 years applying SLT principles in software engineering and intelligent tutoring systems.   

TutorIT is a universal tutor.  Given an AST representation of the knowledge to be acquired, TutorIT automatically sequences demonstration, diagnosis and/or instruction, generating problems/ tasks and/or solutions, evaluating learner responses and providing highly targeted feedback and instruction.  

TutorIT maintains a complete up to date learner model and uses patent pending processes in conjunction with ASTs to provide any specified type of learning or instructional environment, ranging from simple simulation or performance aid to highly adaptive testing and/or instruction.  Assuming AST representations are consistent and complete, TutorIT can even guarantee student learning.  

The result is an unusual confluence of ideas and technology, many of which are patented.  Collectively, these ideas and technologies make it possible for the first time to create tutorial systems that actually work.  Students who finish a lesson necessarily learn what has been taught.   Each lesson or curriculum comes with explicit prerequisites and objectives.  Assuming mastery of specified prerequisites (many available as other lessons), learners will be able to meet the prescribed objectives after completing the lesson.

Depending on the author's goals, many lessons and curricula come with a number of instructional options.  A unique feature of TutorIT is the ease with which it can be customized.  With a click of the key, TutorIT becomes a: 

• an optimized highly adaptive tutoring (combines diagnosis and instruction) 

• a highly efficient diagnostic system 

• systematic progressive instruction

• instructional system/performance aid

• practice system

• simulation system 

To get started, all you have to do is sign up and download and install TutorIT.  This is FREE and takes only a couple minutes.*  With TutorIT installed, you can sign up for any of the available content offerings.  See Content under Learning systems.

* From time to time, updates offering additional functionality may become available.

* Money Back Guarantee:  If a child completes Whole Number Arithmetic and does not improve his or her whole number arithmetic skills  to your satisfaction, simply tell us what you found to be inadequate and we will gladly refund your money.

Note to Subject Matter Experts, Instructional Designers, Software Engineers and Other Authors: All TutorIT tutorials are developed with AuthorIT.  AuthorIT 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 mail 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.