This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the latest developments in the theory and practice of CAT. It can be used both as a basic reference and a valuable resource on test theory. It covers such topics as item selection and ability estimation, item pool development and maintenance, item calibration and model fit, and testlet-based adaptive testing, as well as the operational aspects of existing large-scale CAT programs.

Although computer-based tests (CBT) have been administered for many years, improvements in the speed and power of computers coupled with reductions in their cost have made large-scale computer delivery of tests increasingly feasible. CBT is now a common form of test delivery for licensure, certification, and admissions tests. Many large-scale, high-stakes testing programs have introduced CBT either as an option or as the sole means of test delivery. Although this movement to CBT has, to a great extent, been successful, it has not been without problems. Advances in psychometrics are required to ensure that those who rely on test results can have at least the same confidence in CBTs as they have in traditional forms of assessment. This volume stems from an ETS-sponsored colloquium in which more than 200 measurement professionals from eight countries and 29 states convened to assess the current and future status of CBT. The formal agenda for the colloquium was divided into three major segments: Test Models, Test Administration, and Test Analysis and Scoring. Each segment consisted of several presentations followed by comments from noted psychometricians and a break-out session in which presenters and discussants identified important issues and established priorities for a CBT research agenda. This volume contains the papers presented at the colloquium, the discussant remarks based on those papers, and the research agenda that was generated from the break-out sessions. Computer-Based Testing: Building the Foundation for Future Assessments is must reading for professionals, scholars, and advanced students working in the testing field, as well as people in the information technology field who have an interest in testing.

This book introduces computer-based testing, addressing both nontechnical and technical considerations. The material is oriented toward practitioners and graduate students. The practical emphasis will be useful to measurement professionals who are or will be responsible for implementing a computerized testing program. The instructional information is also designed to be suitable for a one-semester graduate course in computerized testing in an educational measurement or quantitative methods program. While certain theoretical concepts are addressed, the focus of the book is on the applied nature of computerized testing. For this reason, the materials include such features as example applications, figures, and plots to illustrate critical points in the discussions. A wide range ofnontechnical issues need to be considered in implementing a computer-based testing program. Separate chapters are provided on test administration and development issues, examinee issues, software issues, and innovative item types. Test administration and delivery issues include the location of exam administration, selection of hardware and software, security considerations, scheduling of administration frequency and time limits, cost implications, and program support as well as approaches for addressing reliability, validity, comparability, and data analysis. Examinee issues include the influence ofexaminees' reactions to adaptive testing, the effect ofcomputer based task constraints, and the impact of examinees' prior computer experience. Software issues include usability studies and software evaluation as tools in selecting and developing appropriate software, based on the test program needs.

In this paper, a number of practical questions related to introducing CAT for K-12 assessments are discussed. These questions relate to four main topic areas: 1) the CAT algorithm; 2) CAT item development; 3) the CAT test delivery system; and 4) psychometrics to support CAT. In considering these questions, we describe some of the successful practices that have been used in operational high-stakes CAT programs, as well as the challenges these programs face. This discussion is aimed to assist state departments of education in considering the use of CAT as they move to transition testing programs to online delivery in the future.

The Race To The Top program strongly advocates the use of computer technology in assessments. It dramatically promotes computer-based testing, linear or adaptive, in K-12 state assessment programs. Moreover, assessment requirements driven by this federal initiative exponentially increase the complexity in assessment design and test development. This book provides readers with a review of the history and basics of computer-based tests. It also offers a macro perspective for designing such assessment systems in the K-12 setting as well as a micro perspective on new challenges such as innovative items, scoring of such items, cognitive diagnosis, and vertical scaling for growth modeling and value added approaches to assessment. The editors’ goal is to provide readers with necessary information to create a smarter computer-based testing system by following the advice and experience of experts from education as well as other industries. This book is based on a conference (http://marces.org/workshop.htm) held by the Maryland Assessment Research Center for Education Success. It presents multiple perspectives including test vendors and state departments of education, in designing and implementing a computer-based test in the K-12 setting. The design and implementation of such a system requires deliberate planning and thorough considerations. The advice and experiences presented in this book serve as a guide to practitioners and as a good source of information for quality control. The technical issues discussed in this book are relatively new and unique to K-12 large-scale computer-based testing programs, especially due to the recent federal policy. Several chapters provide possible solutions to psychometricians dealing with the technical challenges related to innovative items, cognitive diagnosis, and growth modeling in computer-based linear or adaptive tests in the K-12 setting.

From early answer sheets filled in with number 2 pencils, to tests administered by mainframe computers, to assessments wholly constructed by computers, it is clear that technology is changing the field of educational and psychological measurement. The numerous and rapid advances have immediate impact on test creators, assessment professionals, and those who implement and analyze assessments. This comprehensive new volume brings together leading experts on the issues posed by technological applications in testing, with chapters on game-based assessment, testing with simulations, video assessment, computerized test development, large-scale test delivery, model choice, validity, and error issues. Including an overview of existing literature and ground-breaking research, each chapter considers the technological, practical, and ethical considerations of this rapidly-changing area. Ideal for researchers and professionals in testing and assessment, Technology and Testing provides a critical and in-depth look at one of the most pressing topics in educational testing today. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.