Natural language processing in systems with computer-aided knowledge testing

In the sphere of distant learning computer-aided knowledge testing (CAKT) is widely used. The state of affairs in the field of CAKT systems is analyzed in the report. It is shown that widespread "elective" tests have a number of essential disadvantages. The authors offer the approach permitting to use natural language processing as one of the major CAKT components. The main idea of the approach consists in high-tech matching a student's answer with the answer template given by the instructor. In addition, text information obtained from electronic textbooks and books on the course and transformed into a semantic network can be used when evaluating. Necessary methods and algorithms were designed. The authors also offered software implementing the methods developed. This software as a subsystem can be built into the electronic textbooks, electronic courses and other CAKT systems. The results obtained allow to believe in the appropriateness of the approach for actual usage.