Using and Designing Platforms for In Vivo Educational Experiments

4 Pages Posted: 12 Apr 2015

See all articles by Joseph Williams

Joseph Williams

National University of Singapore

Korinn Ostrow

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Xioalu Xiong

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Elena Glassman

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Juho Kim

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

Samuel Maldonado

San Jose State University

Na Li

Harvard University

Justin Reich

Harvard University - HarvardX; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Office of Digital Learning

Neil Heffernan

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: March 18, 2015

Abstract

In contrast to typical laboratory experiments, the everyday use of online educational resources by large populations and the prevalence of software infrastructure for AB testing leads us to consider how platforms can embed in vivo experiments to improve their educational components. Examples are presented of randomized experimental comparisons we have conducted in three widely used online educational platforms Khan Academy, edX, and ASSISTments. We suggest design principles for platform technology to support randomized experiments that lead to practical improvements enabling Iterative Improvement and Collaborative Work along with how they were implemented by WPI coauthors in the ASSISTments platform, and how they have supported ASSISTments users.

Keywords: Intelligent tutoring system, MOOC; randomized controlled trial, A/B testing, crowdsourcing, collaborative work

Suggested Citation

Williams, Joseph and Ostrow, Korinn and Xiong, Xioalu and Glassman, Elena and Kim, Juho and Maldonado, Samuel and Li, Na and Reich, Justin and Reich, Justin and Heffernan, Neil, Using and Designing Platforms for In Vivo Educational Experiments (March 18, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2580668 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2580668

Joseph Williams (Contact Author)

National University of Singapore ( email )

Singapore

HOME PAGE: http://www.josephjaywilliams.com/

Korinn Ostrow

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) ( email )

100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA 01609
United States

Xioalu Xiong

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) ( email )

100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA 01609
United States

Elena Glassman

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ( email )

77 Massachusetts Avenue
50 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
United States

Juho Kim

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory ( email )

32 Vassar Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.juhokim.com/

Samuel Maldonado

San Jose State University ( email )

San Jose, CA 95192-0066
United States

Na Li

Harvard University ( email )

1875 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Justin Reich

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Office of Digital Learning ( email )

77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
United States

Harvard University - HarvardX ( email )

125 Mt Auburn St.
Cambridge, MA 02476
United States

Neil Heffernan

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) ( email )

100 Institute Road
worcester, MA 01609
United States

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