Usage of Graph Patterns for Knowledge Assessment Based on Concept Maps

Abstract

The paper discusses application of concepts maps (CMs) for knowledge assessment. CMs are graphs which nodes represent concepts and arcs represent relationships between them. CMs reveal learners’ knowledge structure and allow assessing their knowledge level. Step-by-step construction and use of CMs is easy. However, mere comparison of expert constructed and learners’ completed CMs forces students to construct their knowledge exactly in the same way as experts. At the same time it is known that individuals construct their knowledge structures in different ways. The developed adaptive knowledge assessment system which is implemented as multiagent system includes the knowledge evaluation agent which carries out the comparison of CMs. The paper presents a novel approach to comparison of CMs using graph patterns. Graph patterns are subgraphs, i.e., paths with limited length. Graph patterns are given for both fill-in-the-map tasks where CM structure is predefined and construct-the-map tasks. The corresponding production rules of graph patterns allow to expand the expert’s constructed CM and in this way to promote more flexible and adaptive knowledge assessment