Computer Science and
     Software Engineering

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Moffat Mathews

Moffat Mathews

Position

Research Fellow

Room

The easiest/best way to contact me is via email.
Erskine Building  213

Contact Details

Temporary phone: +64 3 364 2987 Ext 4827
moffat.mathews@canterbury.ac.nz

Postal Address

Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering,
College of Engineering,
University of Canterbury,
Private Bag 4800,
Christchurch 8140,
New Zealand.

Undergraduate Courses (lecturer)

What is Moffat up to?

Visit @moffatmathews on Twitter

    Visit @uccsse on Twitter.

    Current Research

    These are a few of the main projects that I have played some leadership role in and have been very closely working on.

    Stroke Cognitive Rehabilitation Project

    We at ICTG have started an ambitious three year project that will explore adaptive computer-based cognitive training for post-stroke rehabilitation. For this, we have been awarded an $830,000 Marsden research grant from the Royal Society of New Zealand. While physical rehabilitation has been looked at in detail in previous research, cognitive rehabilitation research has been severely lacking, in large part due to the difficulty and expense required. Updates will be posted along the way.

    An ITS as part of a wider adaptive educational system

    We are currently doing this project with Prof Peter Brusilovsky and his team in the US. The idea of this is to have one large educational system to which multiple tutoring systems (of varying types) "plug" into. From a student's point of view, the experience should be seamless. One large modelling server aggregates the models from each tutoring server's modelling server to build a large model of the student and give them some adaptive advice. This is quite a difficult project as all the modelling servers are not compatible. With this, I have built the SQL-Tutor Resource Component (STRC).

    Incorrect solution presentation

    This project is currently under way and will be part of an evaluation study in term 3 of 2011. The main question here is that will learning be affected differently if a student has to correct another student's incorrect solution as opposed to simply solving a problem from scratch. Are the cognitive processes similar for both of those types of processes?

    Working with eye tracking

    In this project, we are using a Tobii Eyetracker to monitor students' eye gaze data to try and understand what they are thinking at particular points in the problem solving phase. Currently, Bin Lin is working on this with us.

    Datamining large data sets

    We currently have large datasets of student models and logs from all our tutors. We have already been able to make some headway through these by analysing and creating some behavioural models (e.g. use of help at various stages in a tutoring system). Currently we are also working in collaboration with the research group in Malaga, Spain, to look into using Item Response Theory to create these models within Constraint-Based systems. Jaime Galvez is collaborating with us from Malaga and leading this part of the project.

    Degree: PhD
    Thesis Title: A General Framework for Adapting Pedagogical Strategies in Intelligent Tutoring Systems
    Research Area: Artificial Intelligence in Education
    Senior Supervisor: Prof. Tanja Mitrovic
    Associate Supervisors: Dr. Mick Grimley and Dr. Brent Martin
    Research Groups:Intelligent Computer Tutoring Group, Software Visualisation Group


    My Academic Interests

    Artificial Intelligence in Education

    I am working in the area of Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED). This means that I am interested in AI, Education (especially teaching strategies), Psychology (particularly to do with learning and behaviour), and of course Computer Science & Software Engineering.

    The ICTG focuses on building intelligent and adaptive educational systems – systems that allow the student to explore and learn while receiving customised guidance. These systems are intelligent enough to:

    • know about a particular domain symantically and syntactically (domain modelling),
    • know and reason about each student (student modelling) using their current knowledge on each of the domain concepts and the history of their performance in the system,
    • provide adaptive (customised) guidance to each student,
    • allow the student to see a visualisation of their student model, and
    • optionally allow the student to negotiate their student model (argue for a change in their student model). A change in their student model would lead to different adaptations.

    My PhD interest is in incorporating multiple sets of adaptable pedagogical (teaching) strategies into these systems. An experienced, good human tutor has several teaching strategies in their mental toolbox. They can adapt their pedagogy by choosing an appropriate strategy for a particular student within a particular context. I am looking into how this can be generalised and implemented in these systems.

    Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Education, Learning, Pedagogical strategy, Motivation, Intelligent Tutoring Systems.

    Software Engineering Education

    I am interested in how Software Engineering should be taught. What are the skills that Software Engineers require? Is there a basic toolbox of skills (a skillset) that every software engineer should have from the start of their career? What is the best way of teaching SE students so that they not only acquire the declarative knowledge required and a knowledge of the skillset, but that they also proceduralise the skills at least to an extent where it positively affects their daily work habits?

    Keywords: Software Engineering, Software Development, Education, Assessment Methodology, Project-based Teaching.

    Current Commitments

    Previous Commitments

    Talks, seminars, articles

    Awards

    • TEC Bright Futures Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship
    • University of Canterbury Doctoral Scholarship (Relinquished for the TEC Bright Futures Scholarship)
    • First Class Honours, 2006, University of Canterbury
    • Member, Golden Key International Honour Society (Membership by invitation only)
    • Dean of Science congratulatory letters: 2004, 2005, and 2006
    • Winner, The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Write Around The World Competition, 2007
    • Best Presentation, NZCSRSC 2007, Hamilton, New Zealand
    • Best PhD Presentation*, CSSE Postgraduate Conference 2007, University of Canterbury
    • Best Honours Presentation*, CSSE Postgraduate Conference 2006, University of Canterbury
    • Psychology Department Prize for top equal student (100 level), 2004, University of Canterbury
    • Top Student Award, 2002, Southern Institute of Technology
    • Top Jade Programmer Award, 2002, Southern Institute of Technology
    • Computerland NZ Top Programmer Award, 2002, Southern Institute of Technology
    *Can be won by the same person only once

    Research