Abstract: Research efforts focused on developing "active
reports" are currently underway. Active reports are designed to
foster communication among teachers, students, and parents by listening to all
stakeholders, using assessment information to guide teaching and learning, and
to reconcile potential conflicts. Open student models can handle different
views of the student. These views support different kinds of assessment
information coming from a variety of sources (e.g. results from summative and
formative assessments). As teachers, students, and parents interact with open
student models, assessment claims (e.g. students' self-assessment,
systems' and teachers' assessment of student knowledge)
may evolve from unsupported claims to evidence-based arguments. Paths on this
evidentiary argument space are characterized by rich interactions among sources
of evidence that may challenge personal claims and improve metacognitive
skills. This paper (a) presents an evidence-based approach to interacting with
open student models that builds on existing research on open student models,
evidentiary arguments and evidence-centered design, (b) illustrates this
approach in the context of an assessment-based learning environment called Math
Intervention Module (MIM), and (c) reports on a study carried out with Algebra
teachers/assessment specialists aimed at evaluating the feasibility of
implementing this approach in real settings.
Keywords: Evidence-centered design, open evidence-based argument structures, assessment-based learning environments, open student models, evidence-based interaction
