AI Tutor

The AI Tutor page is designed to support active cognition, not answer retrieval. Each tutor mode implements a different instructional strategy aligned with learning science principles:

Retrieval practice
Elaboration
Socratic questioning
Transfer and application

The goal is to increase durable understanding rather than short-term task completion.

How to Use Tutoring

Navigate to the AI Tutor page.
Select your course from the dropdown menu
Enter a topic for the session, or let the AI recommend one by clicking on the magic wand. This will generate a discussion topic based on your current course.
Chat with the tutor. If you get stuck, you can click the help icon for additional information on the topic.
When you are finished, click End Chat to get a summary of the conversation and advice on how to study further.

Overview of the Four Tutor Modes

True/False Tutor

Primary function: Rapid knowledge checks
Cognitive mechanism: Retrieval practice + immediate feedback

What it does:

Presents declarative statements
You respond True or False, with justification
Provides corrective feedback and brief explanation

Best used for:

Testing factual understanding
Reinforcing definitions, concepts, and rules
Pre-exam review
Diagnosing misconceptions quickly

How to use effectively:

Answer before overthinking
Review explanations carefully, especially on incorrect responses

Elicitation Tutor

Primary function: Structured recall
Cognitive mechanism: Active recall + guided prompting

What it does:

Asks open-ended questions
Prompts you to generate explanations
May scaffold your response if you stall

Best used for:

Explaining concepts in your own words
Practicing definitions without cues
Strengthening conceptual clarity

How to use effectively:

Write full explanations, not fragments
Avoid copying from notes
Refine your answer after feedback

This mode improves encoding depth compared to recognition-based review.

Socratic Tutor

Primary function: Deep reasoning
Cognitive mechanism: Guided inquiry + metacognition

What it does:

Responds to your answers with probing questions
Challenges assumptions
Requests justification and evidence
Encourages clarification and refinement

Best used for:

Complex concepts
Argumentation
Mathematical proofs
Essay preparation
Debugging reasoning errors

How to use effectively:

Treat it as a dialogue, not a quiz
Justify every claim
Reflect on why your answer works, not just whether it works

This mode strengthens reasoning structure and epistemic awareness.

Application Tutor

Primary function: Transfer of knowledge
Cognitive mechanism: Contextual variation + problem solving

What it does:

Presents novel scenarios
Requires you to apply concepts in new contexts
Emphasizes generalization over memorization

Best used for:

Word problems
Case studies
Real-world scenarios
Exam-style questions

How to use effectively:

Identify which principle applies before calculating
Explain your reasoning before giving a final answer
Compare multiple possible approaches

Application practice improves far transfer and reduces brittle knowledge.

Choosing the Right Mode

Goal	Recommended Tutor
Quick check of facts	True/False
Strengthen recall	Elicitation
Improve reasoning depth	Socratic
Practice exam-style problems	Application

A typical study cycle:

Start with Elicitation and True/False to recall core ideas
Use Socratic to refine understanding
Move to Application for concept transfer
Review the AI feedback after clicking End Chat

Best Practices

Do not use the tutor to generate final answers for submission
Always attempt before requesting hints
Space sessions over multiple days
Mix tutor modes for stronger encoding
Reflect briefly after each session.

When to Switch Modes

Switch modes when:

You are answering correctly but cannot explain why → move to Socratic
You understand theory but struggle with problems → move to Application
You feel stuck recalling basics → move to Elicitation
You want a rapid review sweep → use True/False