A network-flow model is formulated for constructing parallel tests based on classical test theory while using test reliability as the criterion. Practitioners can specify a test-difficulty distribution for values of item difficulties as well as test-composition requirements. An empirical study illustrates the reliability of generated tests. (SLD)

Developers of the Intelligent Essay Assessor claim that it saves time in evaluating college students' essays and improves the assessment. This and the growing number of other automated grading programs use the same technologies that make computer-based tutoring possible. Many academics remain skeptical of grading technologies, citing the…

Describes a study of primary school children in Western Australia that was conducted to assess student attitudes towards a computer-based interactive arithmetic test. Examines whether the simple format of the test would capture the attention of the children long enough to gather the required statistical data. (Author/LRW)

Describes the development of a special set of tutorials for training nonnative English speakers to take a computerized test of English as a Foreign Language. The experiences of the 1169 individuals who participated in the computer-familiarity study are characterized in terms of timing and performance data and self-reported attitudes. Most…

Constructed a pool of items from operational tests of mathematics to investigate the feasibility of using automated-test-assembly (ATA) methods to moderate simultaneously possibly irrelevant differences between the performance of women and men and African-American and White test takers. Discusses the usefulness of ATA. (SLD)

Comments on the application of a proposed automated test assembly (ATA) to the problem of reducing potential performance differential among population subgroups and points out some pitfalls. Presents a rejoinder by M. Stocking and others. (SLD)

Two experiments examined phonological priming in children and adults using a cross-modal picture-word interference task. Pictures of familiar objects were presented on a computer screen, while interfering words were presented over headphones. Results indicate that priming effects reach a peak during a time when articulatory information is being…

Presents the rationale for and the results of a pilot study attempting to document in detail how automatization takes place as the result of different kinds of intensive practice. Results show that reaction times and error rates gradually decline with practice, and the practice effect is skill-specific. (36 references) (CK)

Describes the wireless local area network at Carnegie Mellon University. Highlights include classroom applications, particularly in the Business School; the use of laptop computers configured with wireless technology; handheld computers, including use for testing; and assuring appropriate uses of wireless technology. (LRW)

A study involving 72 children (ages 4-8) investigated the effects of computerized presentation of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised Form M that used two computer-based response formats. Results found no difference in performance when students responded using standard presentation--direct pointing, computer presentation--trackball, or…

Focusing on whether computer-based study tasks should use multiple-choice or constructed-response (CR) question formats, this study hypothesized that a CR task with feedback would be superior to multiple-choice study tasks that allowed either single or multiple tries (STF, MTF). As hypothesized, CR scores were larger than MTF and STF scores,…

Reports on the administration and grading of automated tests in five successive semesters of a course in genetics and evolution. Students showed a gain in learning. Suggests that gains in learning will vary with discipline, teaching technique, and student background. (Author/MM)

Assessment and learning are two sides of the same coin (Ramsden, 1992, Biggs, 1999) and their relationship has also been likened to the participants in a three-legged race (Harding & Craven, 2001). The aim of this article is to explore the potential of e-assessment to provide solutions to some of the challenges for e-learning. Drawing on…

In this study, we investigated possible context effects when students chose to defer items and answer those items later during a computerized test. In 4 primary school reading tests, 126 items were studied. Logistic regression analyses identified 4 items across 4 grade levels as statistically significant. However, follow-up analyses indicated that…

This article describes a SAS macro to assess model fit of structural equation models by employing a test of the model-implied vanishing tetrads. Use of this test has been limited in the past, in part due to the lack of software that fully automates the test in a user-friendly way. The current SAS macro provides a straightforward method for…