INTELLIGENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN BLENDED LEARNING FOR ENSURING EFFECTIVE C PROGRAMMING COURSE

This paper describes a blended learning implementation and experience supported with intelligentlearning environments included in a learning management system (LMS) called @KU-UZEM. Theblended learning model is realized as a combination of face to face education and e-learning. Theintelligent learning environments consist of two applications named CTutor, ITest. In addition tostandard e-learning tools, students can use CTutor to resolve C programming exercises. CTutor is aproblem-solving environment, which diagnoses students’ knowledge level but also gives feedbacks andtips to help them to understand the course subject, overcome their misconceptions and reinforce learntconcepts. ITest provides an assessment environment in which students can take quizzes that wereprepared according to their learning levels. The realized model was used for two terms in the “CProgramming” course given at Afyon Kocatepe University. A survey was conducted at the end of thecourse to find out to what extent the students were accepting the blended learning model supported with@KU-UZEM and to discover students’ attitude towards intelligent learning environments. Additionally,an experiment formed with an experimental group who took an active part in the realized model and acontrol group who only took the face to face education was performed during the first term of the course.According to the results, students were satisfied with intelligent learning environments and the realizedlearning model. Furthermore, the use of intelligent learning environments improved the students’knowledge about C programming.