Problem-Solving Support in a Constraint- based Tutor for UML Class Diagrams

We present COLLECT-UML, a constraint-based tutoring system that teaches object-oriented analysis and design using Unified Modelling Language (UML), a popular object-oriented modelling technology. Constraint-Based Modelling (CBM) has been used successfully in several tutoring systems, which have proven to be effective in evaluations performed in real classrooms. In this paper, we present problem-solving support available in COLLECT-UML. The system observes students’ actions and adapts to their knowledge and learning abilities. We describe the system’s architecture and functionality. The effectiveness of the system has been evaluated in two studies with students taking ITS and software engineering courses. Objective data shows that students’ performance increases significantly while interacting with the system, and that they do learn the domain concepts. The students have enjoyed the system’s adaptivity and found it a valuable asset to their learning.

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