Logic Learner

Logic Learner is an online learning tool that provides students with adaptive feedback when solving propositional logic proofs. Designed to differentiate for various skill levels, the application scaffolds student learning by separating questions by complexity, and gives students targeted feedback and hints when mistakes are made or when students are stuck on a particular step. A solution sheet option allows students to compare their answer to the optimal version.

The tool was first proposed by computer science faculty members Ansaf Salleb-Aouissi and Nakul Verma, after they realized that students had performed on average more poorly in their Discrete Mathematics course. The main difficulty they faced in this course was providing timely and targeted feedback in response to student mistakes. The lack of feedback caused students to miss out on key learning opportunities.

After receiving a Provost-funded Innovative Course Design grant, Professors Salleb-Aouissi and Verma developed a prototype to use at a limited scale in their class. The tool had a basic feedback system and organized problems by complexity. However, drawbacks included the limited number of students who could use it simultaneously, over-generalized feedback, and an inability for students to choose which problem they would be solving or to track progress.

To fix many of these issues, the instructors received a second Provost-funded grant, this time to work with the CTL’s learning design, software design, and development teams. This resulted in a more enhanced and usable iteration of the application that will be piloted in Spring 2023.

Focus groups have indicated that the tool’s gamified feature, in which students are congratulated for completing a proof correctly, provides a fun experience for solving problems. Participants also shared that the scaffolding of the levels was beneficial for gradual learning of more complex proofs, and thus students did not feel overwhelmed. Overall, the simplicity of the tool allowed for ease of use, and students enjoyed the experience.