Adaptive E-Learning Systems: A Qualitative Comparison

AESs, or Adaptive E-learning Systems, have become prominent instruments within the realm of education, providing learners with tailored and adaptive learning experiences. These systems use a range of technologies and methodologies to adapt and customize the delivery, pace, and support of educational content in response to the unique requirements, preferences, and achievements of individual learners. The effective use of AESs presents a significant promise in terms of enhancing learner engagement, knowledge retention, and overall learning outcomes. As the demand for personalized and adaptive learning experiences continues to grow, our paper contributes to this discourse by conducting a qualitative comparison between the two main categories within AESs, which are Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) and Adaptive Educational Hypermedia Systems (AEHSs), since the distinction between them becomes blurred. Through the comparative analysis, the distinctive features and capabilities of ITSs and AEHSs are examined basing on five key criteria: Architecture & System Components, Adaptation Techniques, Adaptation Purposes/Targets, User Interaction and Interface Design, and Pedagogical Approaches. The comparison approach follows a qualitative overview that involves synthesizing information from existing literature. Regarding the analysis of the five abovementioned criteria between ITSs and AEHSs, the study reveals that the issue raised by several authors about the unclear difference between the two systems remains the same. That could justify why the research community is moving toward using the term “Adaptive E-learning System” to describe a system that offers tailored educational content to learners, regardless of its adaptation purposes or the technologies and pedagogies employed.