Tutoring Rules Validation – Phase 1

As mentioned the elicitation of tutoring rules resulted in a set of 51 rules as is illustrated in Table 5.3. Phase 1 of the validation process was carried out by the author and involved refinement of the rules using a number of criteria:

1. Simplifying over complex rule structures.

2. Allowing for transition from phase to phase of the learning process using link tactics.

3. Including Finish criteria to avoid tutoring paths with no end state.

This process resulted in a refinement of the original set of rules resulting in a set of 42 tutoring rules; a description of the refinement process follows.

Table 5.3 Tutoring Rules (51 rules)

In the beginning phase two refinements occurred. Based on feedback from experts during the phase validation study (reader is directed to section 5.3). It is known that after the beginning phase the child should progress to the review phase. Therefore, rule 1 was substituted with rule 2, where the rules are listed in Table 5.4. Subsequently, rule 3 became invalid. As review is a link tactic, rule 3 would never fire because rule 2 would involve changing the phase variable from beginning to review. Therefore, as rule 3 was

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now redundant it was also removed. Rule 4 and 5 were included in an endeavour to avoid tutoring paths with no end state.

Table 5.4 Rule Refinements – Beginning Phase

Rule No. Rule Definition

1 If (phase = beginning AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic =

Mastery Learning)

2 If (phase = beginning AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic =

Review)

3 If (phase = beginning AND emotional state = happy AND Mastery Learning = true

THEN tutoring tactic = Positive Reinforcement)

4 If (phase = beginning AND emotional state = angry AND positive reinforcement =

true and Motivational Game = true) THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

5 If (emotional state = sad AND Motivational Game = true AND Positive

Reinforcement = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

Table 5.5 lists the refined rules for the review phase. Rule 1 and 2 were discarded, as they were redundant. The reason for this is if the tutoring process is at the review phase it means the review tactic has been suggested by P.A.C.T and the phase variable has been updated to review. Therefore, rule 1, 2 and 3 are not necessary. Rule 4 was discarded, as

mastery learning is a link tactic to the new material phase rule 4 becomes redundant, as it would never fire. Rules 5-8 were discarded in a belief that the unnecessarily complicated the tutoring process. The reason being if a child remained angry at that stage of the tutoring process it was believed it might be best to end practice for now and return to practice when the child assumed a positive affective state. In addition, rule 9 was discarded for the same reason. Rule 10 and 11 were included to avoid tutoring paths with no end state.

Table 5.5 Rule Refinements – Review Phase

Rule No. Rule Definition

1 If (phase = review AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic = Review)

2 If (phase = review AND emotional state = fearful THEN tutoring tactic = Review)

3

If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Expert Demonstration = true AND Motivational Game = true THEN tutoring tactic = Review)

4 If (phase = review AND emotional state = happy AND Mastery Learning = true

THEN tutoring tactic = Positive Reinforcement)

5 If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement =

true THEN tutoring tactic = Expert Demonstration)

6 If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement =

true AND Expert Demonstration = true THEN tutoring tactic = Motivational Game)

7

If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Expert Demonstration = true AND Motivational Game = true THEN tutoring tactic = Review)

8

If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Expert Demonstration = true AND Motivational Game = true AND Review =true THEN tutoring tactic = Tutoring Variation)

9

If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Expert Demonstration = true AND Motivational Game = true AND Review = true THEN tutoring tactic =Tutoring Variation)

10

If (phase = review AND emotional state = angry AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Expert Demonstration = true AND Motivational Game = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

11 If (phase = review AND emotional state = sad AND Positive Reinforcement = true

AND Motivational Game = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

The refined rules at the new material phase are listed in Table 5.6. Rule 1 and 2 were discarded, as their inclusion would duplicate the tutoring process because, if P.A.C.T. enters the new material phase it means the mastery learning tactic has been suggested. Similarly, it would not be intelligent to loop back to the review phase and so rule 3 was discarded. Rules 4–8 were replaced by rule 9. The reason for this was, based on input

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from Suzuki practitioners it was decided from the outset that if the child was happy they would move directly through the four phases of learning.

Table 5.6 Rule Refinements – New Material Phase

Rule No. Rule Definition

1 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = sad AND Motivational Game =

true AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Tutoring Variation = true THEN tutoring tactic = Mastery Learning)

2 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = fearful AND Positive

Reinforcement = true THEN tutoring tactic = Mastery Learning)

3 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = fearful AND Positive

Reinforcement = true AND Mastery Learning = true AND Expert Demonstration = true THEN tutoring tactic = Review)

4 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic =

Expert Demonstration)

5 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = happy AND Expert Demonstration

= true THEN tutoring tactic = Tutoring Variation)

6 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = happy AND Expert Demonstration

= true AND Tutoring Variation = true THEN tutoring tactic = Repetition)

7 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = happy AND Expert Demonstration

= true AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Repetition = true THEN tutoring tactic = Mastery Learning)

8 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = happy AND Expert Demonstration

= true AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Repetition = true AND Mastery Learning = true THEN tutoring tactic = Positive Reinforcement)

9 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic =

Repetition)

10 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = sad AND Motivational Game =

true AND Positive Reinforcement = true AND Tutoring Variation = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

11 If (phase = new material AND emotional state = angry AND Positive

Reinforcement = true AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Expert Demonstration = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

Otherwise, appropriate tutoring tactics would be suggested in an endeavour to positively affect the child’s affective state. Rule 10 and 11 were included to avoid tutoring paths with no end state.

The repetition phase proffered one set of rule refinements. As mentioned previously it was decided that a happy affective state would allow direct progress through the phases therefore rules 1–5 were replaced by rule 6. Rules 7-9 were added to avoid hanging tutoring paths. The rules are listed in Table 5.7.

Table 5.7 Rule Refinements – Repetition Phase

Rule No. Rule Definition

1 If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic =

Repetition)

2 If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = happy AND Repetition = true THEN

tutoring tactic = Tutoring Variation)

3 If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = happy AND Repetition = true AND

Tutoring Variation = true THEN tutoring tactic = Motivational Game)

4

If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = happy AND Repetition = true AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Motivational Game = true THEN tutoring tactic = Mastery Learning)

5

If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = happy AND Repetition = true AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Motivational Game = true AND Mastery Learning = true THEN tutoring tactic = Positive Reinforcement)

6 If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = happy THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

7 If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = sad AND Motivational Game = true

THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

8

If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = angry AND Motivational Game = true AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Mastery Learning = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

9

If (phase = repetition AND emotional state = fearful AND Tutoring Variation = true AND Mastery Learning = true AND Motivational Game = true THEN tutoring tactic = Finish)

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Therefore, phase one of the tutoring rules validation process resulted in a refinement of the set of 51 rules by the author resulting in a set of 42 tutoring rules. These are listed in Table 5.8.

Table 5.8 Tutoring Rules (42 rules)