Towards Automated Assessment Generation in e-Learning Systems Using Combinatorial Testing and Formal Concept Analysis

Frano Skopljanac-Macina,Bruno Blaskovic,Ivona Zakarija

doi:10.1109/access.2021.3070510

Frano Skopljanac-Macina, Bruno Blaskovic + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3070510

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Abstract

In this paper, we research the use of software combinatorial testing techniques and the Formal Concept Analysis method for preparing sets of questions for student assessment in e-learning systems. Utilizing these techniques and methods, we ensure that the selected questions optimally cover the course material and that each question combines multiple topics. Therefore, in this paper we introduce our method for preparing student assessments that performs automated combinatorial testing and selection of questions, as well as automated generation of appropriate sequences of questions. The input for our method is a set of questions labelled with attributes or features. This set of questions is pre-processed using the Formal Concept Analysis method, and then the combinatorial testing of question features is performed, which generates a concise list of test-cases covering all pairs or triples of question features. Correspondingly, our method helps in identifying and selecting a subset of questions that covers all generated test-cases. Afterwards, the Formal Concept Analysis method automatically generates suitable sequences of selected questions for formative student assessments in e-learning systems. In this paper we implemented the proposed combinatorial testing method, and also demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method on a use-case from an actual e-learning system.

Highlights

A central part of an e-learning system is its knowledge base, usually a database that contains various questions used for quizzes and assessments, or practice exercises that the student solves along different learning paths in adaptive e-learning systems
AND DISCUSSION we will present results of the proposed combinatorial testing method applied to the initial set of labelled 473 questions taken from our e-learning system database
WORK In this paper we proposed a method for automated generation of assessments in e-learning systems, by focusing on the questions that cover and combine multiple topics from the course material

Summary

Introduction

A central part of an e-learning system is its knowledge base, usually a database that contains various questions used for quizzes and assessments, or practice exercises that the student solves along different learning paths in adaptive e-learning systems. One of the main issues in developing and maintaining an e-learning system is the effective management and organization of the knowledge stored in its database. This is especially important when teachers add new questions to the shared repository of questions. Afterwards, questions can be added as new objects to the ontology. This can be time-consuming and laborious, even when organizing domain knowledge of smaller introductory courses. This approach requires that the teachers are well acquainted with the querying and modifying of the ontology.

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