Select-a-Kibitzer: A Computer Tool that Gives Meaningful Feedback on Student Compositions
Title:
Select-a-Kibitzer: A Computer Tool that Gives Meaningful Feedback on Student Compositions
Author:
Wiemer-Hastings, Peter Graesser, Arthur C.
Appeared in:
Interactive learning environments
Paging:
Volume 8 (2000) nr. 2 pages 149-169
Year:
2000-08
Contents:
Select-a-Kibitzer is a computerized tool that gives feedback to students on their compositions in a unique way. The feedback is based on composition research which describes the process of writing as one of simultaneously solving multiple, possibly conflicting, constraints. In Select-a-Kibitzer, each constraint is personified by a different character. A student enters a composition into the tool and then asks for feedback. A variety of natural language processing techniques are used to analyze the text. Then, each of the characters gives feedback on the text from its particular point of view. Select-a-Kibitzer differs greatly from standard “style checker” mechanisms that focus on surface features of the text. By using Latent Semantic Analysis, Select-a-Kibitzer can address a wide range of meaning-oriented composition issues, including coherence, purpose, topic, and overall quality. This paper describes the composition research that forms the basis of the projec t, and the interaction and implementation of Select-a-Kibitzer. It focuses on techniques for using LSA to provide feedback about the meaning of the composition.
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