Abstract
As a result of the rapid progress of computer technology in recent decades, researchers from different areas have adopted artificial intelligence to develop computer-aided instruction systems and diagnostic tools for the assessment of learning and cognition. Referring to the central questions on “What is knowledge?” and “How can we assess knowledge?” this introductory chapter will focus on some essentials of computer-based diagnostics of knowledge and cognition. First, some basic ideas of educational diagnostics and diagnoses are described, resulting in a distinction between “responsive” and “constructive” approaches of knowledge assessment. In the subsequent sections, computer-based procedures are described with regard to both approaches. They presuppose the application of external representations grounded on the semantics of natural language. The next section of this introduction focuses on computer-based and agent-based methodologies of knowledge diagnosis as a central component of automatic diagnostic systems. The final section will provide a brief preview of the major topics of this volume.
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Seel, N.M. (2010). Essentials of Computer-Based Diagnostics of Learning and Cognition. In: Ifenthaler, D., Pirnay-Dummer, P., Seel, N. (eds) Computer-Based Diagnostics and Systematic Analysis of Knowledge. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5662-0_1
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