The Logic-ITA in the Classroom: A Medium Scale Experiment

Abstract

This paper presents the experiment and consequent evaluation of introducing the Logic-ITA in a second year tertiary undergraduate class. The Logic-ITA is a web-based Intelligent Teaching Assistant system, aimed at alleviating some of the problems caused by large classes or distance learning. Its domain of application is the construction of formal proofs in logic. The system acts as an intermediary between teacher and students: on one hand, it provides students with an environment to practice formal proofs with feedback and on the other hand it allows teachers to monitor the class's progress and mistakes. It is complementary in the sense that it does not aim to replace any of the existing interactions between teachers and students. Since its introduction, over 600 students have used the tool. Evaluation shows a significant improvement in students?assessment results with an effect size of around 1 sigma.