Adaptive tests are more efficient than fixed-length tests through the use of item response theory; adaptive tests also present students questions that are tailored to their proficiency level. Although the adaptive algorithm is straightforward, developing a multidimensional computer adaptive test (MCAT) measure is complex. Evidence-centered design…

The goal in personalized assessment is to best fit the needs of each individual test taker, given the assessment purposes. Design-in-Real-Time (DIRTy) assessment reflects the progressive evolution in testing from a single test, to an adaptive test, to an adaptive assessment "system." In this article, we lay the foundation for DIRTy…

A multistage adaptive testing (MST) design was implemented for the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) starting in 2012 for about 40 countries and has been implemented for the 2018 cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) for more than 80 countries. Using examples from PISA and PIAAC,…

Multistage tests are those in which sets of items are administered adaptively and are scored as a unit. These tests have all of the advantages of adaptive testing, with more efficient and precise measurement across the proficiency scale as well as time savings, without many of the disadvantages of an item-level adaptive test. As a seemingly…

Discusses the potential positive and negative effects computer-based testing could have on validity, reviews the literature on validation perspectives in computer-based testing, and suggests ways to evaluate the contributions of computer-based testing to more valid measurement practices. (SLD)