At ILS, we have designed two types of computer systems to implement learning by exploring. Both systems are based on the notions that students must be free to follow their own path, and that they should have multiple experts available to answer their questions. The difference between the systems has to do with how wide a domain of material they attempt to cover. The first type is called an ASK System. ILS has already implemented and delivered a number of these systems; they provide students with one-on-one (and, in several systems, one-on-many) teaching in a specific domain. The second system type, called "Searching Agents," has more ambitious goals. These systems work with a large repository of stories, called the "Story Archive," which is currently under construction at ILS. Unlike ASK Systems, Searching Agents are not restricted to a limited domain. Instead, they attempt to delve into the Story Archive to retrieve answers to specific types of questions across many domains.
Where am I in the content of the book?
