Fuzzy Inference System Based on a Model of Affective-Cognitive Criteria

Criterion-referenced assessment (CRA) uses a narrowly-defined set of skill criteria that can guide teacher to assess student grade by comparing student learning score with the criteria. However, the use of CRA is regarded as incomplete as most of the criteria in general based on student skill of knowledge. Affective factors also need to be considered in the assessment. Nonetheless, measuring affective factors is not as straightforward a task as measuring cognitive factors because the quantification is often represented in linguistic terms. In this study, affective factors and cognitive factors based on CRA are modeled together for a combined assessment. A questionnaire to measure student affective attributes is developed. A novel method of fuzzy inference system (FIS) to infer student achievement in English learning based on CRA is proposed. The method was applied to an analysis of data collected from students studying English as a second language. The result indicates the usefulness of the FIS based on CRA as a basis to assess student performances by using affective and cognitive factors.