Press Releases
For Immediate Release
Contact: Al Renshaw
Phone: 1-800-577-9040
e-Mail: Al Renshaw
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IMPROVE
PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITY BY 45% WITH QUANTUM® ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
TUTORS
Research Proves that Quantum Tutors®
Significantly Increase Student Comprehension and Problem Solving Skills
at College and High School Levels
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - February
16, 2005, Quantum Simulations, Inc., a developer of artificial intelligence
(AI) tutoring and assessment software, released the results of research
conducted at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, where 235 science
majors participated in a study as part of a national research effort
to measure the effectiveness of the Quantum Tutors®.
The study randomly divided 14 recitation
sections in the Duquesne general chemistry course into two groups;
a treatment group (97 students) that used the Quantum Tutors® for at-home
study and a control group (138 students) who received the same course
instruction but did not use the Tutors.
After both groups received a lecture
discussing how to assign oxidation numbers, an important skill needed
to understand introductory chemistry concepts, students were given
a pre-test to assess baseline performance. Both groups were then given
identical homework assignments on oxidation numbers to ensure they
would spend a comparable amount of study time preparing for the post-test,
which was given one week after the lecture. To measure student mastery
and comprehension accurately, students were required to write all
steps in solving each problem rather than simply selecting an answer
from a multiple-choice list. As an objective measure of performance,
only completely correct solutions were accepted; no partial credit
was awarded.
The impact of the Quantum Tutors® became
apparent in the post-test results, where the Tutor-using group improved
by 45.0% in number of correct solutions reached, outperforming the
control group by an average of 20.8% more problems solved correctly
on the post-test. In addition, 41.2% of students in the Tutor group
solved 80% or more of the post-test problems correctly (compared to
only 15.9% of students in the control group), demonstrating the Tutor's
ability to help more students gain full mastery of the concepts and
skills required to assign oxidation numbers.
|
Duquesne
University: Student Improvement
|
Tutor
Group
|
Control
Group
|
|
Number
of students
|
97
|
138
|
|
Students
Solving 80% or More Post-Test Problems Correctly
|
41.2%
|
15.9%
|
|
Improvement
in Correct Solutions Reached from
Pre-Test to Post-Test
|
+45.0%
|
+28.0%
|
For
complete published research results, contact Dr. Benny Johnson
at [email protected].
|
"The Quantum Tutors® are a novel tool
in the arena of chemical education," commented Jeffry Madura, Professor
and Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Chair at Duquesne University.
"Our students have found these Tutors to be extremely helpful in developing
critical thinking and problem solving skills. They show the students
how to solve the problem rather than provide an answer."
Because the Quantum Tutors® can accept
any problem the student wants to work on and uses artificial
intelligence technology to tutor the student one-on-one based on their
knowledge level and learning style, the software is compatible with
any textbook, curriculum or state/accreditation standards at both
the high school and college levels.
"We're very enthusiastic about how the
Quantum Tutors® performed in the Duquesne University study, although
we're not surprised," added Dr. Benny Johnson, President and CEO of
Quantum®. "We're seeing similar performance results in other schools
across the country. Our research clearly demonstrates the effectiveness
and versatility of the Quantum Tutors® in K-12 and higher education."
About Quantum®
Quantum Simulations, Inc. develops artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring,
assessment and professional development software that empowers teachers
and inspires students from middle school through college to improve
their knowledge and appreciation for the sciences. Teacher tested
and approved by educators across the United States, Quantum's AI software
is proven in research studies to improve comprehension, problem solving
skills and test scores by as much as 50%. Quantum's intelligent tutoring
engines are integrated with existing web-based learning products,
providing a strong competitive edge for distributing partners. A "technology
think tank", Quantum® is funded and supported by the U.S. Department
of Education, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes
of Health. For a virtual demonstration of the Quantum Tutors®, visit
www.quantumsimulations.com/demo.html.
To subscribe to the software, visit www.quantumsimulations.com/partners.html
for a list of distributing partners.
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