Huang, David Junsong

This study delves into the dynamics between diverse learning behaviors among K-12 students and their learning gains using a dataset of 508 students learning three math skills in ASSISTments. Employing K-means clustering based on students’ initial and final skill mastery alongside their engagement level, three distinct clusters emerged for each skill, revealing varying degrees of learning from ASSISTments. By analyzing decision tree classification models for each skill using affective labels such as boredom and frustration, we hypothesize that students within the same cluster of a skill may exhibit heterogeneous learning patterns that affect their subsequent learning of new skills. Further exploration demonstrates that students who transit between clusters when learning new skills differ significantly in their initial and final mastery of previously learned skills and their affective labels associated with those skills. Regression analysis underscores that students’ initial and final mastery of antecedent skills have some influence on their subsequent mastery of new skills. Unraveling the intricate relationship between student learning behaviors and the effectiveness of ASSISTments offers valuable insights into tailoring AI-enhanced educational tools, not only for learning the current skill but also for preparing for the future learning of new skills.

While national assessments are often held responsible for streaming and students’ placement for their academic advancement, school-based assessment is increasingly recognised as an important and effective way to identify and close teaching and learning gaps. This chapter presents examples to illustrate how assessment is used in the secondary mathematics classroom to enhance students’ learning and at the same time close the teaching and learning gaps. The chapter comprises two parts. Firstly, it differentiates theories of assessment and underscores the importance of using assessment to enhance students’ learning. Secondly, the chapter illustrates how assessment strategies can be devised as an enhancement to students’ learning. Examples of strategies are presented to reveal how teachers identify teaching gaps, adjust their teaching approaches and give targeted feedback to encourage students to take ownership of their learning. In the process, students are encouraged not only to be self-directed in their learning but also serve as instructional resource for their peers in their learning journey.