Student's algebraic knowledge modelling: Algebraic context as cause of student's Actions

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe a construction of a student model in the field of algebra. For gathering the data, we have used the Aplusix learning environment, which allows students to make freely calculation steps and records all the students' actions. One way to build and update the student model is to precisely follow what the student is doing, by means of a detailed representation of cognitive skills. We are interested in persistent and reproducible actions, i.e., the same action done by a student in different algebraic contexts, rather than in a local student action. For discovering patterns of student behaviours, we use a statistical implicative analysis which makes possible seeking for stability of the actions and determining the contexts where they appear. This theory allows us to build implicative connections between algebraic contexts and actions. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.