Assessment-Driven Learning Analytics
A Paradigm Shift for Equitable K–12 STEM Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33830/ijrse.v8i1.14355Keywords:
STEM, Learning Analytics, Paradigm shift, Psychometric assessment, K–12Abstract
Learning analytics (LA) has transformed educational practice through data-driven personalization, yet its dependence on continuous digital trace data systematically excludes learners in low-technology K–12 environments. This paper proposes Assessment-Driven Learning Analytics (ADLA)—a paradigm shift that repositions psychometric assessments as primary analytic signals rather than supplementary data. Grounded in sociocognitive theory and computational psychometrics, ADLA operationalizes three-dimensional learner modeling (cognitive, affective, behavioral) that functions without digital infrastructure. We articulate theoretical foundations distinguishing ADLA from clickstream-based approaches, specify detailed operational frameworks with validated instruments, outline implementation architecture, propose comprehensive research validation agenda, and examine policy implications for educational equity and SDG 4. ADLA demonstrates that meaningful learning analytics need not depend on technological abundance, offering methodological pathways toward inclusive, evidence-based STEM education accessible to all students regardless of infrastructural constraints.
References
Baker, R. S., & Inventado, P. S. (2023). Educational data mining and learning analytics. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences (3rd ed., pp. 333–353). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108888295.019
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
CASEL. (2020). The CASEL framework. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/
Casey, K., & Azcona, D. (2017). Utilizing student activity patterns to predict performance. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-017-0044-3
Chen, F., Azevedo, R., & Taub, M. (2023). Predicting STEM persistence through real-time modeling of cognitive-emotional dynamics. Journal of Educational Data Mining, 15(1), 45–67. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7892341
Chen, J., von Davier, A. A., & Mislevy, R. J. (2021). Computational psychometrics: New methodologies for a new generation of digital learning and assessment. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74394-9
de la Torre, J., & Douglas, J. A. (2004). Higher-order latent trait models for cognitive diagnosis. Psychometrika, 69(3), 333–353. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02295640
D'Ignazio, C., & Klein, L. F. (2020). Data feminism. MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11805.001.0001
Duckworth, A. L., & Yeager, D. S. (2023). Non-cognitive skills in education: An integrative framework for measurement and intervention. Annual Review of Psychology, 74, 95–123. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031851
Dweck, C. S. (2023). Mindset: The new psychology of success (Updated ed.). Ballantine Books.
Elliot, A. J., & Hulleman, C. S. (2024). Achievement goals and achievement goal complexes. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Advances in motivation science (Vol. 11, pp. 1–53). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.adms.2023.10.001
Fredricks, J. A., Reschly, A. L., & Christenson, S. L. (Eds.). (2024). Handbook of student engagement interventions (2nd ed.). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2021-0-01847-3
Garcia, R., & Smith, T. (2024). Paper-based learner analytics: Designing analog solutions for data-informed instruction. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21(2), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00432-1
Garcia, R., Nguyen, T., & Lee, S. (2025). Advancements in psychometric evaluation: Ensuring validity and reliability in multicultural assessments. Educational Assessment Review, 43(1), 56–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2024.100562
Gasevic, D., Dawson, S., & Siemens, G. (2015). Let's not forget: Learning analytics are about learning. TechTrends, 59(1), 64–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-014-0822-x
Gray, G. (2014). A Review of Psychometric Data Analysis and Applications in Modelling of Academic Achievement in Tertiary Education. Journal of Learning Analytics, 1(1), 75–106. https://doi.org/10.18608/JLA.2014.11.5
Hamre, B. K., Hamagami, A., Pianta, R. C., Baroody, A. E., & Goffin, S. G. (2023). Classroom Assessment Scoring System implementation and associations with student outcomes. Educational Assessment, 28(2), 98–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2023.2198765
Holstein, K., McLaren, B. M., & Aleven, V. (2023). Reframing learning analytics to promote inclusion and equity in K–12 education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(1), 67–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13257
Ifenthaler, D., Shibani, A., & Ferguson, R. (2022). Hybrid learning analytics: Integrating analogue and digital learning evidence. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70(4), 1057–1076. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10108-6
Kim, J., & Park, E. (2023). Collaborative development of culturally responsive assessment tools in diverse classrooms. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 30(4), 435–452. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2023.2234567
Landers, R. N., Auer, E. M., Mersy, G., Marin, S., & Blaik, J. A. (2022). You are what you click: using machine learning to model trace data for psychometric measurement. International Journal of Testing, 22(3–4), 243–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/15305058.2022.2134394
Lee, H., Choi, S., & Kim, J. (2025). Diagnostic assessment of computational thinking in unplugged contexts: Development and validation. Computers & Education, 197, Article 104753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2024.104753
Liu, J., Broisin, J., & Sharma, K. (2023). Learning analytics in K–12: Redefining data strategies in hybrid classrooms. Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, Article 100108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100108
Liu, J., von Davier, A. A., & Mislevy, R. J. (2024). Psychometric models for multimodal educational data: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Educational Measurement, 61(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/jedm.12378
Lund, A., Rasmussen, I., & Smørdal, O. (2024). Classroom observation of engagement in collaborative STEM learning: A validity study. International Journal of Science Education, 46(3), 289–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2023.2289456
Mislevy, R. J., Oranje, A., Bauer, M. I., von Davier, A. A., & Hao, J. (2021). Psychometrics for education: Modern theories and applications. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74769-5
Mislevy, R. J., Behrens, J. T., DiCerbo, K. E., & Levy, R. (2012). Design and Discovery in Educational Assessment: Evidence-Centered Design, Psychometrics, and Educational Data Mining. Educational Data Mining, 4, 11–48. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.3554641
Mullis, I. V. S., & Martin, M. O. (2017). TIMSS 2019 assessment frameworks. TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center. http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/frameworks/
NCES. (2023). Digest of education statistics 2023. National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/
OECD. (2019). PISA 2018 results (Volume III): What school life means for students' lives. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en
OECD. (2023). PISA 2022 assessment and analytical framework. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/dfe0bf9c-en
Pekrun, R., Marsh, H. W., Elliot, A. J., Stockinger, K., Perry, R. P., Vogl, E., Goetz, T., van Tilburg, W. A. P., Lüdtke, O., & Vispoel, W. P. (2023). A three-dimensional taxonomy of achievement emotions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 124(1), 145–178. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000448
Pianta, R. C., La Paro, K. M., & Hamre, B. K. (2008). Classroom Assessment Scoring System manual: K–3. Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Pintrich, P. R. (2003). A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 667–686. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.95.4.667
Prinsloo, P., & Slade, S. (2017). Ethics and learning analytics: Charting the (un)charted. In C. Lang, G. Siemens, A. Wise, & D. Gašević (Eds.), Handbook of learning analytics (pp. 49–57). Society for Learning Analytics Research. https://doi.org/10.18608/hla17.004
Reeve, J., & Tseng, C. (2023). Agency as a fourth aspect of students' engagement during learning activities. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36(4), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2011.05.002
Renninger, K. A., & Hidi, S. E. (2019). The Cambridge handbook of motivation and learning. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316823279
Rupp, A. A., Templin, J., & Henson, R. A. (2010). Diagnostic measurement: Theory, methods, and applications. Guilford Press.
Sailer, M., Stadler, M., Botev, J., & Fischer, F. (2021). Technology-supported learning analytics in higher education: A systematic review of academic success prediction. Computers & Education, 173, Article 104271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104271
Shute, V. J., Sun, C., & Asbell-Clarke, J. (2017). Demystifying computational thinking. Educational Research Review, 22, 142–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.09.003
Siemens, G., & Gasevic, D. (2012). Learning analytics and educational data mining: Towards communication and collaboration. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, 252–254. https://doi.org/10.1145/2330601.2330661
Slade, S., & Prinsloo, P. (2024). Ethics in K–12 learning analytics: Beyond privacy toward pedagogical transparency. British Journal of Educational Technology, 55(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13389
Smith, M. K., Jones, F. H. M., Gilbert, S. L., & Wieman, C. E. (2013). The Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS): A new instrument to characterize university STEM classroom practices. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 12(4), 618–627. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.13-08-0154
UNESCO. (2023). Global education monitoring report 2023: Inclusion and education—All means all. UNESCO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.54676/UZQV8501
van de Vijver, F. J., & Tanzer, N. K. (2024). Cross-cultural test adaptation and validation. In S. Guo (Ed.), Handbook of educational measurement and assessment (pp. 89–110). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45981-5_6
Viberg, O., Hatakka, M., Bälter, O., & Mavroudi, A. (2018). The current landscape of learning analytics in higher education. Computers in Human Behavior, 89, 98–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.07.027
von Davier, A. A. (2020). Computational psychometrics: New methodologies for a new generation of digital learning and assessment. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74394-9
von Davier, A. A. (2023). Computational psychometrics: Toward ethical and explainable AI in education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27781-8
Wang, M. T., & Degol, J. L. (2024). Gender gap in STEM: Current knowledge, implications for practice, policy, and future directions. Educational Psychology Review, 36, 119–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09850-1
West, D. M., Whitehurst, G. J., & Dionne, E. J. (2022). Digital divide in education: Shifting inequities in U.S. schools. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-digital-divide-in-education/
Wing, J. M. (2006). Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33–35. https://doi.org/10.1145/1118178.1118215
Yeager, D. S., Carroll, J. M., Buontempo, J., Cimpian, A., Wooden, S., Crosnoe, R., Muller, C., Murray, J., Mhatre, P., Kersting, N., Hulleman, C., Kudym, M., Murphy, M., Duckworth, A. L., Walton, G. M., & Dweck, C. S. (2023). Teacher mindsets help explain where a growth-mindset intervention does and doesn't work. Psychological Science, 34(5), 518–536. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231154 5
Zhang, S., Wang, Z., & Chen, Y. (2024). Diagnostic classification models for assessing scientific reasoning in K–12 contexts. Applied Measurement in Education, 37(2), 145–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/08957347.2023.2289012
Zimmerman, B. J. (2020). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(2), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Tai Ki Kim

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Content Licensing, Copyright, and Permissions
1. License
International Journal of Research in STEM Education has CC-BY NC or an equivalent license as the optimal license for the publication, distribution, use, and reuse of scholarly work for non-commercial purposes. The non-commercial use of the article will be governed by the Creative Commons Attribution license as currently displayed on Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons License
2. Author’s Warranties
The author warrants that the article is original, written by the stated author(s), has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright that is vested exclusively in the author and free of any third party rights, and that any necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author(s).
3. User Rights
The International Journal of Research in STEM Education's objective is to disseminate articles published as free as possible. Under the Creative Commons license, this journal permits users to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work for non-commercial purposes only. Users will also need to attribute authors and this journal on distributing works in the journal.
4. Rights of Authors
Authors retain the following rights:
Copyright, and proprietary rights relating to the article, such as patent rights,
The right to use the substance of the article in future own works, including lectures and books, The right to reproduce the article for own purposes, The right to self-archive the article, the right to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the article's published version (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal (International Journal of Research in STEM Education).
The author has a non-exclusive publishing contract with a publisher, and the work is published with a more restrictive license, the author retains all the rights to publish the work elsewhere, including commercially, because she/he is not subject to the conditions of her / his own license, regardless of the type of CC license chosen.
5. Co-Authorship
If the article was jointly prepared by other authors, the signatory of this form warrants that he/she has been authorized by all co-authors to sign this agreement on their behalf and agrees to inform his/her co-authors of the terms of this agreement.
6. Termination
This agreement can be terminated by the author or International Journal of Research in STEM Education at two months' notice where the other party has materially breached this agreement and failed to remedy such breach within a month of being given the terminating party's notice requesting such breach to be remedied. No breach or violation of this agreement will cause this agreement or any license granted in it to terminate automatically or affect the definition of the International Journal of Research in STEM Education.
7. Royalties
This agreement entitles the author to no royalties or other fees. To such extent as legally permissible, the author waives his or her right to collect royalties relative to the article in respect of any use of the article by This agreement can be terminated by the author or International Journal of Research in STEM Education upon two months's notice where the other party has materially breached this agreement and failed to remedy such breach within a month of being given the terminating party's notice requesting such breach to be remedied. No breach or violation of this agreement will cause this agreement or any license granted in it to terminate automatically or affect the definition of the International Journal of Research in STEM Education or its sublicensee.
8. Miscellaneous
International Journal of Research in STEM Education‚ will publish the article (or have it published) in the journal if the article's editorial process is successfully completed and the International Journal of Research in STEM Education or its sublicensee has become obligated to have the article published. International Journal of Research in STEM Education may conform the article to a style of punctuation, spelling, capitalization, referencing, and usage that it deems appropriate. The author acknowledges that the article may be published so that it will be publicly accessible, and such access will be free of charge for the readers.










