This study addresses, through investigation of students in Arizona High School summer programs, how students learn, understand and manipulate scientific models of the carbon cycle and the water cycle. The investigators of this project have identified problems that on-line tutors have with creating conditions for students to regulate their own behavior. Instead of taking advantage of the available learning opportunities, some students ask for hints until the tutor gives them the correct answer.

The investigators hypothesize that lasting benefits require changing students beliefs about shallow compared with deep modeling practices and breaking their modeling habits and instilling new ones. They intend to add affective learning companions to the on-line tutors. The modules use the teachable agent metaphor called Betty's Brain.

The study analysis will be conducted in high school summer schools in Arizona for students that are mostly Native Americans. The students are self-selected for attending the summer school. Data collection will include student logs, verbal protocols and affect sensor data from the summer school participants (approximately 30 students). Three studies will be conducted: 1. to develop a meta tutoring tool, 2. to develop an affective learning agent with verbal and physical gestures, and 3. a measure of whether the new tool results in increases in learning. The analysis will involve causal inference and data mining of student records of their activities. The third phase of the learning will compare students who use one agent with the teachable agent; a second group will compare two agents, the teachable agent and the meta-tutor; and a third group will compare three agents. The outcome of the study is a developed and tested tool to increase student learning and statistical analysis of records maintained by the investigators of student activities with the teachable agent. The study should help indicate whether computer tutors are more effective if they have integrated features that mimic human performance.