Student Engagement in AI Assisted Complex Problem Solving: A Pilot Study of Human AI Rubik's Cube Collaboration

TL;DR

This study introduces the ALLURE system that leverages AI to assist students in solving the initial step of the Rubik's Cube, exploring its impact on STEM skills and student behaviors.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel AI-assisted educational tool for complex problem solving and provides preliminary data on student interactions and skill development.

Findings

Students' behaviors are linked to spatial reasoning skills.

AI assistance influences critical and algorithmic thinking.

Preliminary data suggests potential benefits of AI collaboration in learning.

Abstract

Games and puzzles play important pedagogical roles in STEM learning. New AI algorithms that can solve complex problems offer opportunities for scaffolded instruction in puzzle solving. This paper presents the ALLURE system, which uses an AI algorithm (DeepCubeA) to guide students in solving a common first step of the Rubik's Cube (i.e., the white cross). Using data from a pilot study we present preliminary findings about students' behaviors in the system, how these behaviors are associated with STEM skills - including spatial reasoning, critical thinking and algorithmic thinking. We discuss how data from ALLURE can be used in future educational data mining to understand how students benefit from AI assistance and collaboration when solving complex problems.