Student Models That Invite the Learner In

In recent years, the learner models of some adaptive learning environments have been opened to the learners they represent. However, as yet there is no standard way of describing and analysing these 'open learner models'. This is, in part, due to the variety of issues that can be important or relevant in any particular learner model. The lack of a framework to discuss open learner models poses several difficulties: there is no systematic way to analyse and describe the open learner models of any one system; nor to compare the features of open learner models in different systems; and finally, the designers of each new adaptive learning system must repeatedly tread the same path of studying the many diverse uses and approaches of open learner modelling so that they might determine how to make use of open learner modelling in their system. We believe this is a serious barrier to the effective use of open learner modelling. This paper presents such a framework, and gives examples of its use to describe and compare adaptive educational systems.