  With the proliferation of simple and complex bioinformatics tools, there is
the need to teach researchers how to use these tools effectively. To evaluate
the potential of cognitive tutoring in the wide-scale adoption of several
bioinformatics tools, we designed a simple prototype. We embedded a cognitive
tutor, built with the Cognitive Tutor Authoring Tool, on a preexisting
platform, the Gene Adjacency Program, developed by the University of Ibadan
Bioinformatics group. Our preliminary tests show that researchers who used the
platform with the cognitive tutor embedded showed higher levels of competence
and efficiency. These results indicate that cognitive tutors have the potential
to teach bioinformatics researchers employing new tools how to efficiently use
them and accurately make sense of their results.
