Introduction: From Latent Classes to Cognitive Diagnostic Models

Abstract

This chapter provides historical and structural context for models and approaches presented in this volume, by presenting an overview of important predecessors of diagnostic classification models which we will refer to as DCM in this volume, or alternatively cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs). The chapter covers general notation and concepts central to latent class analysis, followed by an introduction of mastery models, ranging from deterministic to probabilistic forms. The ensuing sections cover knowledge state and rule space approaches, which can be viewed as deterministic skill-profile models. The chapter closes with a section on the multiple classification latent class model and the deterministic input noisy and (DINA) model.