A Three-Layer Formative Feedback Framework for Kit-Build Concept Mapping: Feasibility Evidence from Three Classroom Trials

Kit-Build Concept Mapping (KBCM) supports formative assessment by externalizing learning goals as a teacher reference map and diagnosing proposition-level gaps through automated comparison. However, typical KBCM use provides mainly verification feedback (what is missing/incorrect) and offers limited support for how students should act to close those gaps. Leveraging KBCM’s diagnostic outputs as an enabling infrastructure, this study proposes and implements a three-layer formative feedback framework that operationalizes structured gap-closing actions: (Layer 1) Evidence Access links each frequently missing proposition to specific source-text evidence; (Layer 2) Comprehension Verification prompts learners to articulate the reasoning behind the proposition through guided questioning; and (Layer 3) Integration Practice requires coordinated application of multiple propositions in authentic problem-solving tasks. We report three classroom trials with undergraduate informatics students (N = 11, N = 10, N = 10). Across all trials, large overall learning gains were observed from post-reading (T1) to post-intervention (T3) (Wilcoxon r =.895,.878,.889; all $$p <0.05$$ ). The magnitude of additional improvement beyond KBCM diagnostics differed by content complexity. These findings suggest that KBCM-based diagnosis can be systematically transformed into progressive, pedagogically grounded feedback that supports students’ gap-closing actions in classroom practice.