User modeling has been found to enhance the effectiveness and/or usability of software systems through the representation of certain properties of a particular user. This paper presents the research and the results of the development of a user modeling system for the implementation of student models within e-learning environments, utilizing vector space models. The central challenge has been to exploit the possibilities of IUI research on user models without compromising the performance of the overall system. The research described in this paper has aimed to augment the user interface of an existing e-learning environment with relevant aspects from the domain of intelligent user interfaces, through developing a student modeling component.