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Application of rules-based algorithms

15 一月, 2016 - 09:48

To allow the creation of electronic formative tests, many researchers have used personalizedrules (Lazarinis, Green, & Pearson, 2010; De Bra, Aroyo & Cristea, 2004). Test creators can enter information about assessments. Conditional rules applied in specific points of the etests force a new stage progress or a regress to the incorrectly answered questions (Lazarinis, Green, & Pearson, 2010). The application of rule-based tests requires the adoption of an adaptive-test prototype consisting of four parts, according to De Bra, Aroyo & Cristea (2004): the domain model, the user model, the adaptive model and the adaptive engine. Improving formative testing by applying rule-based algorithms further supports the idea that educators, trainers and teachers should be actively involved in improving the students’ results, in optimizing the benefits of using e-assessments. National Research Center of assessment, standards and testing students in the U.S. proposes an application so that the teachers can engage in formative testing, in setting the attributes, the context and the type of electronic test answers (Vendlinski, Niemi, Wang, & Monempour, 2008). Although not strictly complying with the four parts proposed by De Bra, Aroyo & Cristea (2004), the application architecture addresses the same principle of separation between questions’ management, tests’ management or students’ management. The application has four modules: Designer, Assembler, Scheduler and Gradebook (Vendlinski, Niemi, Wang, & Monempour, 2008).

The current chapter proposes an RBA (rules-based algorithm) model, where the set of rules for building a test are established by the trainers. Each rule has an initiation point (whether the rule is applied at the beginning of the test or after a certain question), an action (for example, the rule consists in showing only the question of level D) and a set of conditions (for example, the rule is applied if the trainee has previous project management education). The obvious advantage of using rules-based tests is the flexibility offered both to the trainers and the trainees of the system. The tests are adapted to trainees’ educational objectives, previous knowledge or courses. In the same time, the trainers gain the possibilities of reflecting on the assessment experiences and offering personalized tests for each student, thus motivating the students and helping them in the learning process.