Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ma, Yawen, Ishida, Sahoko, Cain, Kate, Wallin, Gabriel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.07179
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866918435074605056
author Ma, Yawen
Ishida, Sahoko
Cain, Kate
Wallin, Gabriel
author_facet Ma, Yawen
Ishida, Sahoko
Cain, Kate
Wallin, Gabriel
contents Digital learning platforms are increasingly used to support reading development while generating rich log files and item-level textual content. Using these data, this study proposes a dynamic cognitive diagnostic modelling (CDM) framework that incorporates text-derived semantic information to inform the estimation of the Q-matrix. We construct item-level semantic representations of question text and response options, and use these representations to define an informative prior on the Q-matrix. This approach treats text-derived signals as proxies for item complexity and cognitive demands, guiding the item-skill mapping in a data-driven manner. The proposed framework jointly estimates latent skill mastery profiles, item parameters, and transition dynamics over time within a Bayesian framework. We apply the model to data from Boost Reading, a digital reading supplement, focusing on students' vocabulary and comprehension skill development. We compare the proposed framework with a baseline model without any text information and show that the text-derived prior can improve Q-matrix recovery, particularly in settings where response data alone provide limited identification, as well as other model parameters for varying scenarios. This study provides a novel integration of natural language processing and dynamic CDMs, offering a data-driven approach to modelling skill acquisition and item-skill relationships in digital learning environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_07179
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle NLP-Informed Dynamic Cognitive Diagnosis Modelling
Ma, Yawen
Ishida, Sahoko
Cain, Kate
Wallin, Gabriel
Methodology
Digital learning platforms are increasingly used to support reading development while generating rich log files and item-level textual content. Using these data, this study proposes a dynamic cognitive diagnostic modelling (CDM) framework that incorporates text-derived semantic information to inform the estimation of the Q-matrix. We construct item-level semantic representations of question text and response options, and use these representations to define an informative prior on the Q-matrix. This approach treats text-derived signals as proxies for item complexity and cognitive demands, guiding the item-skill mapping in a data-driven manner. The proposed framework jointly estimates latent skill mastery profiles, item parameters, and transition dynamics over time within a Bayesian framework. We apply the model to data from Boost Reading, a digital reading supplement, focusing on students' vocabulary and comprehension skill development. We compare the proposed framework with a baseline model without any text information and show that the text-derived prior can improve Q-matrix recovery, particularly in settings where response data alone provide limited identification, as well as other model parameters for varying scenarios. This study provides a novel integration of natural language processing and dynamic CDMs, offering a data-driven approach to modelling skill acquisition and item-skill relationships in digital learning environments.
title NLP-Informed Dynamic Cognitive Diagnosis Modelling
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.07179