Modelling Cognitive Style in a Peer Help Network

I-Help is a computer system that assists learners as they try to solve problems while learning a subject. I-Help achieves this by supporting a network of peersthat help each other out. One component ofI-Help selects appropriate peers to assist astudent, and then sets up a one-on-one peerhelp session between the helper and the helpee.The matching of helper to helpee takes intoaccount factors such as a potential helper'sknowledge of the topic of the helpee'squestion; their availability and eagerness tohelp; and their general helpfulness. Recentwork has developed a cognitive style componentto supplement these attributes, which enablesconsideration also of the suitability of ahelper's cognitive style for answering thehelpee's question. This paper describes howmodelling individuals' cognitive style canusefully supplement other user model data in apeer help network, and describes how thisinformation is obtained in I-Help.