Mathematics intelligent tutoring systems with handwritten input: a scoping review

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) have been widely used to enhance math learning, wherein teacher’s involvement is prominent to achieve their full potential. Usually, ITSs depend on direct interaction between the students and a computer. Recently, researchers started exploring handwritten input (e.g., from paper sheets) aiming to provide equitable access to ITSs’ benefits. However, research on math ITSs ability to handle handwritten input is limited and, to our best knowledge, no study has summarized its state of the art. This article fulfills that gap with a scoping review of handwritten recognition methods, characteristics, and applications of math ITSs compatible with handwritten input. Based on a search of 11 databases, we found eight primary studies that met our criteria. Mainly, we found that all ITSs depend on receiving handwritten input from a touchscreen interface, in contrast to recognizing solutions developed on paper. We also found that most ITSs focus on similar audiences (e.g., English speakers students), subjects (e.g., algebraic questions), and applications (e.g., in-class to understand student perceptions). Thus, towards enabling equitable access to ITSs, we propose ITS Unplugged (i.e., ITSs that i) run on low-cost, resource-restricted devices with little to no internet connection and ii) receive as well as return information in the format target users usually use) and contribute a research agenda concerning challenges of developing such ITSs.