Abstract
Markov Decision Process (MDP) is the most common planning framework in the literature for sequential decisions under probabilistic outcomes; MDPs also underlies the Reinforcement Learning (RL) theory. Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) is an assessment approach that selects questions one after another while conditioning each selection on the previous questions and answers. While MDP defines a well-posed optimization planning-problem, shortsighted score functions have solved the planning problem in CATs. Here, we show how MDP can model different formalisms for CAT, and, therefore, why the CAT community may benefit from MDP algorithms and theory. We also apply an MDP algorithm to solve a CAT, and we compare it against traditional score functions from CAT literature.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
We consider the case when \(\mathcal {X}_{i}\) is enumerate for a briefer exposition.
- 2.
In the multistage CAT, the examiner must choose a set of questions.
- 3.
In a classification CAT, the examiner can estimate directly a category instead of a the latent trait \(\theta \).
References
de Andrade, D.F., Tavares, H.R., da Cunha Valle, R.: Teoria da resposta ao item: conceitos e aplicações. ABE, São Paulo (2000)
Bertsekas, D.P., Tsitsiklis, J.N.: An analysis of stochastic shortest path problems. Math. Oper. Res. 16(3), 580–595 (1991)
Birnbaum, A.L.: Some latent trait models and their use in inferring an examinee’s ability. Statistical theories of mental test scores (1968)
Blind: Comprehensive empirical analysis of stop criteria in computerized adaptive testing. In: Submitted to International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU) (2021)
El-Alfy, E.S.M.: A reinforcement learning approach for sequential mastery testing, pp. 295–301 (2011)
Hambleton, R.K., Swaminathan, H.: Item Response Theory: Principles and Applications. Springer, Dordrecht (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1988-9
Hoerger, M., Kurniawati, H.: An on-line POMDP solver for continuous observation spaces (2020)
Kreitzberg, C.B., Stocking, M.L., Swanson, L.: Computerized adaptive testing: principles and directions. Comput. Educ. 2(4), 319–329 (1978)
van der Linden, W.J., Glas, C.A.: Computerized Adaptive Testing: Theory and Practice. Springer, Boston (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47531-6
Lord, F.M.: Applications of Item Response Theory to Practical Testing Problems. Routledge, Abingdon (1980)
Magis, D., Yan, D., von Davier, A.A.: Computerized Adaptive and Multistage Testing with R: Using Packages CatR and MstR, 1st edn. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69218-0
Mausam, K.A.: Planning with Markov decision processes: an AI perspective. Synth. Lect. Artif. Intell. Mach. Learn. 6(1) (2012)
Minami, R., da Silva, V.F.: Shortest stochastic path with risk sensitive evaluation. In: Batyrshin, I., González Mendoza, M. (eds.) MICAI 2012. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 7629, pp. 371–382. Springer, Heidelberg (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37807-2_32
Morris, S.B., Bass, M., Howard, E., Neapolitan, R.E.: Stopping rules for computer adaptive testing when item banks have nonuniform information. Int. J. Test. 20(2), 146–168 (2020)
Nurakhmetov, D.: Reinforcement learning applied to adaptive classification testing. In: Veldkamp, B.P., Sluijter, C. (eds.) Theoretical and Practical Advances in Computer-based Educational Measurement. MEMA, pp. 325–336. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18480-3_17
Sari, H.I., Raborn, A.: What information works best?: A comparison of routing methods. Appl. Psychol. Meas. 42(6), 499–515 (2018)
Segall, D.O.: Computerized adaptive testing. Encyclopedia Soc. Meas. 1, 429–438 (2005)
Spenassato, D., Bornia, A., Tezza, R.: Computerized adaptive testing: a review of research and technical characteristics. IEEE Lat. Am. Trans. 13(12), 3890–3898 (2015)
Spenassato, D., Trierweiller, A.C., de Andrade, D.F., Bornia, A.C.: Testes adaptativos computadorizados aplicados em avaliaçoes educacionais. Revista Brasileira de Informática na Educação 24(02), 1 (2016)
Sutton, R.S., Barto, A.G.: Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction. MIT Press, Cambridge (1998)
Trevizan, F., Teichteil-Königsbuch, F., Thiébaux, S.: Efficient solutions for stochastic shortest path problems with dead ends. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Third Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence (UAI) (2017)
Wainer, H., Dorans, N.J., Flaugher, R., Green, B.F., Mislevy, R.J.: Computerized Adaptive Testing: A Primer. Routledge, Abington (2000)
Wang, C., Chang, H.H., Huebner, A.: Restrictive stochastic item selection methods in cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing. J. Educ. Meas. 48(3), 255–273 (2011)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Gilavert, P., Freire, V. (2022). Computerized Adaptive Testing: A Unified Approach Under Markov Decision Process. In: Gervasi, O., Murgante, B., Hendrix, E.M.T., Taniar, D., Apduhan, B.O. (eds) Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2022. ICCSA 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13375. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10522-7_40
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10522-7_40
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-10521-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-10522-7
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)