Development Of Programming ICAI Based On The JATLite Agent Platform

As the coming of Information Age , there is an urgent demand of software talents ,but currently the quality of many programming instruction software is not high ,which always emphasize introducing knowledge ,especially grammar and semantic of programming language; can't give the analysis of programming process;can't explain the origin of program; neglect the training of programming ability. Amongst the incompleteness of programming design theory is one of the main reasons.Algorithmic design is the key of programming design. According to research of several projects supported by 863 Hi-Tech Programme and National Natural Science Foundation of China, Professor Xue proposed a simple and practicable approach forformal development and proving of Algorithmic programs-PAR method.PARmethod is a uniform algorithm development method, can take the place of current methods of Algorithmic Design such as Divide method > Dynamic Plan method, Greedy method etc. Our Research is based on Two High-Tech Exploring Projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China , use PAR method as the teaching content of Intelligent Instruction software, apply the agent technology to the construction of system, implement the muti-agent ICAI system of programming design. The primary works we have done in this paper are as follows:1. researching further PAR method, dividing the PAR method's related knowledge into knowledge points ,constructing the system around the knowledge points;2. researching the knowledge of pedagogy, summing up some instructional strategy which adopts to the use of computer and ICAI of Programming Design;3. making a comparison of domestic agent platforms and abroad agent platforms, then getting the advantages and disadvantages. Here we choose JATLite agent platform of Stanford University as our developing platform in this system.4. researching the agent's construction .constructing many agents in the system, combining the instructional strategy in the agents' collaboration;5. making a further study in agent communicate language KQML, then in the form of KQML put forward the agent interactive protocol of the system6. studying the muti-media technology ,esp. JAVA Media Framework(JMF) provided by SUN; with the help of JMF, adding muti-media in the instruction software, boosting the effect of studyDuring the time of research and implementation, we make the following innovations:1.Constructing the Knowledge Base of the system according to the knowledgepoints;2..Teaching programming by PAR method , can elaborating the process ofprogramming.truly improving the ability of programming;3.According to difficulty of study, dividing the system into four level teachingenvironments and creating different teacher agent with responsibility for itscorresponding environment;4.Using the collaboration of muti-agent, assigning the different agent to creatingcorresponding teaching environment or testing environment,implementingteaching and testing by the different ability of the students;5.Making the interative protocol between the different agents in the systemaccording to KQML;6.Integrating the program automatic transformation system into our system ,checking the student's answer according to the functions of error-checking Ndebugging, runnning of the program automatic transformation system;7.Using the muti-thread technology of JAVA, implementing heuristic teaching,giving the suggestive information to help students to complete the practice duringthe process of student's practice and providing the mechanic of dynamicallyerror-checking during the process of answer;8. Analysing the student's cirsus, finding the weakness of student to review;9. Adapting the trisection Screen Teachnology , strengthing the effect of teaching by video in the teaching process;10. Adding the mathematic symbol toolbar in the system interface to facilitate the use of student.The difficulty of the research is the making of instruction strategy, the construction of agen...