Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Learning State Prediction and Learning Path Generation Using Hidden Markov Models

Received: 21 September 2025     Accepted: 23 October 2025     Published: 20 January 2026
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Abstract

The main mission of the intelligent tutoring system is to estimate and predict the students’ learning status accurately and to generate a learning path that is inherent to the students. There are many learning state estimation and prediction methods, and there are also many methods to generate learning paths using the results. We propose a method to predict the learning state of a student and generate a learning path using the Hidden Markov Model, a probabilistic reasoning over time. We propose and illustrate in detail how to formalize the Hidden Markov Model using an extended knowledge graph for learning state prediction, how to collect the evidence variable values of the Hidden Markov Model in intelligent tutoring systems, how to predict the learning state using smoothing algorithms, and how to generate the stochastic learning path. The experiment was conducted to compare students using an intelligent tutoring system with those who did not. In addition, a comparison experiment of a method using Hidden Markov model with a multi-dimensional linear prediction model such as PFM and AFM was also carried out. The results showed that the average performance of students using the intelligent tutoring system was much higher than that of students without the intelligent tutoring system. In addition, the experimental results showed that the average performance of students using Hidden Markov models was higher than that of students using other models.

Published in Science Futures (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13
Page(s) 118-134
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

HMM, Learning State Prediction & Estimation, Learning Path Generation, Probabilistic Reasoning over Time

References
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[2] Ouyang, Y., Zhou, Y., Zhang, H., Rong, W., and Xiong, Z. (2021). PAKT: A Position-Aware Self-attentive Approach for Knowledge Tracing. Artificial Intelligence in Education-2021, 22nd International Conference, AIED 2021 Utrecht, The Netherlands, June 14–18, Proceedings, Part II, Springer.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Kwon, S., Rim, J., Ko, Y., Ham, Y., Kim, H. (2026). Learning State Prediction and Learning Path Generation Using Hidden Markov Models. Science Futures, 2(2), 118-134. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13

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    ACS Style

    Kwon, S.; Rim, J.; Ko, Y.; Ham, Y.; Kim, H. Learning State Prediction and Learning Path Generation Using Hidden Markov Models. Sci. Futures 2026, 2(2), 118-134. doi: 10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13

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    AMA Style

    Kwon S, Rim J, Ko Y, Ham Y, Kim H. Learning State Prediction and Learning Path Generation Using Hidden Markov Models. Sci Futures. 2026;2(2):118-134. doi: 10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13,
      author = {Song-Hwan Kwon and Jong-Nam Rim and Yun-Ho Ko and Yun-Sok Ham and Ha-Gyong Kim},
      title = {Learning State Prediction and Learning Path Generation Using Hidden Markov Models},
      journal = {Science Futures},
      volume = {2},
      number = {2},
      pages = {118-134},
      doi = {10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.scif.20260202.13},
      abstract = {The main mission of the intelligent tutoring system is to estimate and predict the students’ learning status accurately and to generate a learning path that is inherent to the students. There are many learning state estimation and prediction methods, and there are also many methods to generate learning paths using the results. We propose a method to predict the learning state of a student and generate a learning path using the Hidden Markov Model, a probabilistic reasoning over time. We propose and illustrate in detail how to formalize the Hidden Markov Model using an extended knowledge graph for learning state prediction, how to collect the evidence variable values of the Hidden Markov Model in intelligent tutoring systems, how to predict the learning state using smoothing algorithms, and how to generate the stochastic learning path. The experiment was conducted to compare students using an intelligent tutoring system with those who did not. In addition, a comparison experiment of a method using Hidden Markov model with a multi-dimensional linear prediction model such as PFM and AFM was also carried out. The results showed that the average performance of students using the intelligent tutoring system was much higher than that of students without the intelligent tutoring system. In addition, the experimental results showed that the average performance of students using Hidden Markov models was higher than that of students using other models.},
     year = {2026}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Learning State Prediction and Learning Path Generation Using Hidden Markov Models
    AU  - Song-Hwan Kwon
    AU  - Jong-Nam Rim
    AU  - Yun-Ho Ko
    AU  - Yun-Sok Ham
    AU  - Ha-Gyong Kim
    Y1  - 2026/01/20
    PY  - 2026
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13
    T2  - Science Futures
    JF  - Science Futures
    JO  - Science Futures
    SP  - 118
    EP  - 134
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20260202.13
    AB  - The main mission of the intelligent tutoring system is to estimate and predict the students’ learning status accurately and to generate a learning path that is inherent to the students. There are many learning state estimation and prediction methods, and there are also many methods to generate learning paths using the results. We propose a method to predict the learning state of a student and generate a learning path using the Hidden Markov Model, a probabilistic reasoning over time. We propose and illustrate in detail how to formalize the Hidden Markov Model using an extended knowledge graph for learning state prediction, how to collect the evidence variable values of the Hidden Markov Model in intelligent tutoring systems, how to predict the learning state using smoothing algorithms, and how to generate the stochastic learning path. The experiment was conducted to compare students using an intelligent tutoring system with those who did not. In addition, a comparison experiment of a method using Hidden Markov model with a multi-dimensional linear prediction model such as PFM and AFM was also carried out. The results showed that the average performance of students using the intelligent tutoring system was much higher than that of students without the intelligent tutoring system. In addition, the experimental results showed that the average performance of students using Hidden Markov models was higher than that of students using other models.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Information Science, University of Science, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

  • Department of Information Science, University of Science, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

  • Department of Information Science, University of Science, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

  • Institute of Information Technology, University of Science, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

  • Department of Information Science, University of Science, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

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