Students' understanding of their student model

Abstract

Open Learner Models (OLM) are believed to facilitate students' metacognitive activities in learning. Inspectable student models are a simple but very common form of OLM that grant students opportunities to get feedback on their knowledge and reflect on it. This paper uses individualized surveys and interviews with high school students who have at least three years experience learning with the Cognitive Tutor regarding the inspectable student model in the Tutor. We also interviewed a teacher. We found that: i) students pay close attention to the OLM and report that seeing it change encourages them to learn; ii) there is a significant discrepancy between the students' self-assessment and the system's assessment; iii) students generally rely on the OLM to make judgments of their learning progress without much active reflection. We discuss potential revisions to the student model based on the findings, which aim to enhance students' reflection on and self-assessment of their own learning. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.