Intelligent Tutoring Systems Need Teachers
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| Title: | Intelligent Tutoring Systems Need Teachers |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Lisa Bardach, Korbinian Moeller, Miguel Ruiz-Garcia (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 2026 42(1). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Learner Engagement, Dropouts, Mathematics Instruction, Teacher Student Relationship, Foreign Countries, Assignments |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany, Netherlands |
| DOI: | 10.1002/jcal.70159 |
| ISSN: | 0266-4909 1365-2729 |
| Abstract: | Background: The development and distribution of digital learning software, such as intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs), has evolved into a billion-dollar industry, impacting a vast number of students worldwide. A large number of studies on ITSs have focused on their effects on learning outcomes. However, less is known about student engagement and dropout when ITSs are used in real classroom settings over extended periods, particularly with regard to how these patterns may be linked to different assignment scenarios within ITSs. Objective: The present study aimed to explore whether student engagement and dropout varied based on whether mathematics problems within the ITS were assigned by teachers or self-assigned by students. Methods: We evaluated rich data from an ITS for learning mathematics used in Germany and the Netherlands ([approximately] 139,000,000 problems; n [approximately] 194,000 students) between 2016 and 2023. To examine whether students' engagement and dropout, both within and between students, varied based on the two assignment scenarios (teacher assigned vs. self-assigned problems), we employed regression and survival analyses. Results and Conclusions: Our results revealed that, in both Germany and the Netherlands, students with teacher-assigned problems consistently (i) dropped out later, (ii) were active for significantly more weeks and (iii) worked through more mathematics problems each week than those who self-assigned problems. The results were robust across academic school years in the examined period. Overall, our study raises questions about the use of digital learning software as a stand-alone solution and suggests embedding such software in real-life learning scenarios involving teachers. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://osf.io/8cunk/?view_only=eb6931d494484cbeb99fcc0085c6e924 |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495858 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1495858 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Intelligent Tutoring Systems Need Teachers – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisa+Bardach%22">Lisa Bardach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Korbinian+Moeller%22">Korbinian Moeller</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miguel+Ruiz-Garcia%22">Miguel Ruiz-Garcia</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0738-5770">0000-0002-0738-5770</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Younes+Strittmatter%22">Younes Strittmatter</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jennifer+Meyer%22">Jennifer Meyer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sebastian+Musslick%22">Sebastian Musslick</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Markus+Spitzer%22">Markus Spitzer</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Computer+Assisted+Learning%22"><i>Journal of Computer Assisted Learning</i></searchLink>. 2026 42(1). – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 11 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligent+Tutoring+Systems%22">Intelligent Tutoring Systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dropouts%22">Dropouts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Instruction%22">Mathematics Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Student+Relationship%22">Teacher Student Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Assignments%22">Assignments</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Netherlands%22">Netherlands</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1002/jcal.70159 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0266-4909<br />1365-2729 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Background: The development and distribution of digital learning software, such as intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs), has evolved into a billion-dollar industry, impacting a vast number of students worldwide. A large number of studies on ITSs have focused on their effects on learning outcomes. However, less is known about student engagement and dropout when ITSs are used in real classroom settings over extended periods, particularly with regard to how these patterns may be linked to different assignment scenarios within ITSs. Objective: The present study aimed to explore whether student engagement and dropout varied based on whether mathematics problems within the ITS were assigned by teachers or self-assigned by students. Methods: We evaluated rich data from an ITS for learning mathematics used in Germany and the Netherlands ([approximately] 139,000,000 problems; n [approximately] 194,000 students) between 2016 and 2023. To examine whether students' engagement and dropout, both within and between students, varied based on the two assignment scenarios (teacher assigned vs. self-assigned problems), we employed regression and survival analyses. Results and Conclusions: Our results revealed that, in both Germany and the Netherlands, students with teacher-assigned problems consistently (i) dropped out later, (ii) were active for significantly more weeks and (iii) worked through more mathematics problems each week than those who self-assigned problems. The results were robust across academic school years in the examined period. Overall, our study raises questions about the use of digital learning software as a stand-alone solution and suggests embedding such software in real-life learning scenarios involving teachers. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: Note Label: Notes Group: Note Data: https://osf.io/8cunk/?view_only=eb6931d494484cbeb99fcc0085c6e924 – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1495858 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1495858 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/jcal.70159 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Intelligent Tutoring Systems Type: general – SubjectFull: Learner Engagement Type: general – SubjectFull: Dropouts Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematics Instruction Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Student Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Assignments Type: general – SubjectFull: Germany Type: general – SubjectFull: Netherlands Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Intelligent Tutoring Systems Need Teachers Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lisa Bardach – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Korbinian Moeller – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Miguel Ruiz-Garcia – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Younes Strittmatter – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jennifer Meyer – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sebastian Musslick – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Markus Spitzer IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0266-4909 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1365-2729 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 42 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
