Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 14.3
Example screenshot of the iSTART Demonstration Module. Merlin provides feedback
to the student agent, Genie, who is self-explaining a text about forest fires
that students will have with Merlin during the practice module. This module pro-
vides the same demonstration and content from the original SERT training, but now
allows for students to progress through this automated training at their own pace.
Practice Modules
Lastly, the practice module required the most extensive adaptations in order to trans-
form SERT from a live to an automated intervention. The practice module needed
to be completely automated and provide timely, appropriate, and useful feedback
to the students as they typed in their self-explanations (McNamara, Boonthum,
Levinstein, & Millis, 2007; Muñoz, Magliano, Sheridan, & McNamara, 2006).
iSTART features two types of practice modules: regular and extended practice
modules. The regular practice module is situated within the initial 2-h training ses-
sion. That is, students typically go through the introduction, demonstration, and
regular practice modules within 2 h. The regular practice module fades out direct
instruction and provides the learner an opportunity to apply their newly acquired
knowledge to two science texts. The extended practice module provides students
the chance to read and self-explain a large number of new texts (either using texts
