AAI_2025_Capstone_Chronicles_Combined

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Appendix A: LLM Interpretation of DEC Clusters

Cluster 1: Step-by-Step Guided Practice Description: Students engage in focused practice sessions where they work through specific math problems with systematic guidance from the tutor. Analysis: This group represents traditional tutoring interactions where students are actively practicing particular skills like adding fractions, understanding derivatives, or solving chemistry problems. The AI tutor provides scaffolded support, asking students to complete each step before moving forward. Students in these conversations generally show good engagement and make steady progress through the problems. The tutor maintains a consistent teaching approach: introducing a concept, having the student attempt it, providing correction when needed, and building complexity gradually. These sessions are characterized by clear learning objectives and methodical progression through mathematical procedures. Cluster 2: Addressing Errors and Building Understanding Description: Students struggle with fundamental concepts and make computational or conceptual errors that the tutor helps them identify and correct. Analysis: This group captures moments when students encounter significant difficulties or hold misconceptions about mathematical concepts. Common patterns include confusion about decimal multiplication, misunderstanding negative exponents, and making procedural errors in multi-step problems. The AI tutor responds with patience, breaking down problems into smaller components and providing alternative explanations when students don’t understand initially. These conversations often involve multiple attempts at the same type of problem, with the tutor offering hints and guided practice to help students recognize and correct their mistakes. The interactions show the importance of identifying and addressing foundational gaps in understanding before moving to more complex topics.

Cluster 3: Extended Practice Across Topics

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