Automated Item Generation

  • [@gierlAutomaticItemGeneration2012] introduced theories and practices in AIG field.

Concepts

  • Weak and Strong
    • Weak Theory AIG: items are generated from models/templates, always vary only names and numbers, never underlying logic. Mostly seeking to produce clones.
    • Strong Theory AIG: adopt explicit cognitive models — formal explanations of how students reason through the task.

Methods

  • Item models/templates: “if a train leaves city X at __ mph…”
  • Item shells (“cloning”): “A patient presents with [symptom set]… what is the most likely diagnosis?”
  • Facet design: mapping out every possible way an item can vary in a domain.
  • Concept based: generating items to test concept understanding.
  • LLM assisted