Agent toolkits: a general overview of the market and an assessment of instructor satisfaction with utilizing toolkits in the classroom

Abstract

<p>This report presents results from a recent research investigation on agent toolkits on the market and their use in post-secondary courses. Data collection comprised the download and trial use of 20 agent toolkits, as well as the completion of an online questionnaire on instructor satisfaction by 87 post-secondary course instructors from around the world. The report identifies four major categories of agent toolkits on the market. It appears that no single uniform toolkit satisfies the needs of all agent-related courses. Research findings also suggest that satisfaction levels are influenced primarily by user interaction with the toolkit, followed to a lesser extent by toolkit performance and functionality. The report identifies features an ideal agent toolkit should possess and concludes with ideas for future research.</p>