The Y-Model - Formalization of Computer Science Tasks in the Context of Adaptive Learning Systems

Tasks, understood as educational instructions to transform an initial state to a targeted state in the learner model, are central elements in (computer science) education, irrespective of the mode of delivery - online or classic face-to-face teaching. They appear in different roles; as learning objects that help acquire competencies, as assessment instruments for measuring learning success, or for practicing specific skills. However, as with any educational technology, proper handling and well-planned selection are crucial for successful teaching. Correspondingly, the requirements that tasks have to fulfill are wide-ranging: they should promote specific learning outcomes, be appropriate to address desired cognitive dimensions, and be tailored to the student to keep motivation and learning success high. To enable an on-demand, outcome-oriented, and individualized selection of tasks in adaptive learning systems, we need to formalize tasks in all dimensions. A detailed review of different models for cognitive processes, knowledge dimensions in education, tasks, and errors leads to the Y-Model, a model for formalizing tasks (in computer science). It forms the basis for an individual, competence-oriented integration of tasks in educational systems. Finally, we present the first implementation of the model.