An Architecture For Groupwork Management Based On Adaptive Testing

In this paper an architecture is proposed for the selection and management of students who must take part to laboratory experiences or groupworks. The considered scenario involves on-site activities within a campus laboratory or other kinds of studying spaces, as well as remote cooperation through e/m-learning communication facilities and heterogeneous devices. The goal is to select participants whose profiles (including skills, learning levels and targets) can come alongside with profit, so as to optimize groupwork itself as well as personal achievements. The core of the whole process is the use of adaptive testing for a dynamic and continuous assessment of both results and participants and for the consequent control of group activities or possible difficulties. The generalities of such tool are described and its role in the proposed architecture detailed.