{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T14:31:45Z","timestamp":1774967505169,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":65,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,3,3]],"date-time":"2016-03-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1456963200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The research on electronic learning environments has evolved towards creating adaptive learning environments. In this study, the focus is on adaptive curriculum sequencing, in particular, the efficacy of an adaptive curriculum sequencing algorithm based on matching the item difficulty level to the learner\u2019s proficiency level. We therefore explored the effect of the relative difficulty level on learning outcome and motivation. Results indicate that, for learning environments consisting of questions focusing on just one dimension and with knowledge of correct response, it does not matter whether we present easy, moderate or difficult items or whether we present the items with a random mix of difficulty levels, regarding both learning and motivation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems4010014","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,3,3]],"date-time":"2016-03-03T10:30:47Z","timestamp":1457001047000},"page":"14","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["When Easy Becomes Boring and Difficult Becomes Frustrating: Disentangling the Effects of Item Difficulty Level and Person Proficiency on Learning and Motivation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"4","author":[{"given":"Mariola","family":"Moeyaert","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Educational Psychology and Methodology, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12222, USA"}]},{"given":"Kelly","family":"Wauters","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Federale Overheidsdienst Financien, 50 Kruidtuinlaan, Brussels 1000, Belgium"}]},{"given":"Piet","family":"Desmet","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Arts and iMinds-ITEC, KU Leuven 3000, Belgium"}]},{"given":"Wim","family":"Van den Noortgate","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences and iMinds-ITEC, KU Leuven 3000, Belgium"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,3,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gauthier, G., Frasson, C., and VanLehn, K. 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