Detection methods for item preknowledge are often evaluated in simulation studies where models are used to generate the data. To ensure the reliability of such methods, it is crucial that these models are able to accurately represent situations that are encountered in practice. The purpose of this article is to provide a critical analysis of…

In mathematics, learners often spontaneously draw on prior knowledge when learning new ideas. In this study, we examined whether the specific diagrams used to represent more familiar (i.e., whole number division) and less familiar ideas (i.e., fraction division) shape successful transfer. Undergraduates (N = 177) were randomly assigned to…

To provide personalized support on educational platforms, it is crucial to model the evolution of students' knowledge states. Knowledge tracing is one of the most popular technologies for this purpose, and deep learning-based methods have achieved state-of-the-art performance. Compared to classical models, such as Bayesian knowledge tracing, which…

Computational models of learning can be powerful tools to test educational technologies, automate the authoring of instructional software, and advance theories of learning. These mechanistic models of learning, which instantiate computational theories of the learning process, are capable of making predictions about learners' performance in…

The world has encountered and witnessed the great popularity of various emerging e-learning resources such as massive open online courses (MOOCs), textbooks and videos with the development of the big data era. It is critical to understand the characteristics of users to assist them to find desired and relevant learning resources in such a large…

Intelligent behavior of adaptive educational systems is based on student models. Most research in student modeling focuses on student learning (acquisition of skills). We focus on prior knowledge, which gets much less attention in modeling and yet can be highly varied and have important consequences for the use of educational systems. We describe…

Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT) is a commonly used approach for student modeling, and Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) is a versatile model that can be applied to a wide range of tasks, such as language translation. In this work, we directly compared three models: BKT, its variant Intervention-BKT (IBKT), and LSTM, on two types of student modeling…

In this paper, we propose a computational approach to model the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) using predicted probabilities of correctness and engaging students in reflective dialogue. To that end, we employ a predictive model that uses a linear function of a variety of parameters, including difficulty and student knowledge and we analyze the…

In this paper, we propose a computational approach to modeling the Zone of Proximal Development of students who learn using a natural language tutoring system for physics. We employ a student model that predicts students' performance based on their prior knowledge and their activity when using a dialogue tutor to practice with conceptual,…

This study examined learning differences for students who were given instructor-provided examples during a lesson compared with student-generated examples. In an experiment, 348 students were exposed to an online lesson about fear appeals and were randomly assigned to either a condition where (a) examples of key concepts were provided by the…

This dissertation includes three essays: one essay focuses on the effect of teacher preparation programs on teacher knowledge while the other two focus on test-takers' response times on test items. Essay One addresses the problem of how opportunities to learn in teacher preparation programs influence future elementary mathematics teachers'…

The Second International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM2009) was held at the University of Cordoba, Spain, on July 1-3, 2009. EDM brings together researchers from computer science, education, psychology, psychometrics, and statistics to analyze large data sets to answer educational research questions. The increase in instrumented…