ERIC Number: EJ1024558
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 43
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1050-8406
EISSN: N/A
From Log Files to Assessment Metrics: Measuring Students' Science Inquiry Skills Using Educational Data Mining
Gobert, Janice D.; Sao Pedro, Michael; Raziuddin, Juelaila; Baker, Ryan S.
Journal of the Learning Sciences, v22 n4 p521-563 2013
We present a method for assessing science inquiry performance, specifically for the inquiry skill of designing and conducting experiments, using educational data mining on students' log data from online microworlds in the Inq-ITS system (Inquiry Intelligent Tutoring System; www.inq-its.org). In our approach, we use a 2-step process: First we use text replay tagging, a type of rapid protocol analysis in which categories are developed and, in turn, used to hand-score students' log data. In the second step, educational data mining is conducted using a combination of the text replay data and machine-distilled features of student interactions in order to produce an automated means of assessing the inquiry skill in question; this is referred to as a "detector." Once this detector is appropriately validated, it can be applied to students' log files for auto-assessment and, in the future, to drive scaffolding in real time. Furthermore, we present evidence that this detector developed in 1 scientific domain, phase change, can be used--with no modification or retraining--to effectively detect science inquiry skill in another scientific domain, density.
Descriptors: Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Science Education, Inquiry, Science Process Skills, Construct Validity, Reliability, Data Collection, Performance Based Assessment, Virtual Classrooms, Simulated Environment, Grade 8, Middle School Students, Learning Activities, Pretests Posttests, Coding, Models, Scoring, Student Behavior, Predictive Validity, Science Experiments, Educational Technology, Knowledge Level
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Middle Schools; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A