The Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) is a statewide assessment system that embodies Nebraska's holistic view of students and helps them prepare for success in postsecondary education, career, and civic life. It uses multiple measures throughout the year to provide educators and decision-makers at all levels with the insights…

Pupil monitoring systems support the teacher in tailoring teaching to the individual level of a student and in comparing the progress and results of teaching with national standards. The systems are based on the availability of an item bank calibrated using item response theory. The assessment of the students' progress and results can be further…

The paper gives an overview of multidimensional adaptive testing (MAT) and evaluates its applicability in educational and psychological testing. The approach of Segall (1996) is described as a general framework for MAT. The main advantage of MAT is its capability to increase measurement efficiency. In simulation studies conceptualizing situations…

On a general level, the objective of diagnostic classifications models (DCMs) lies in a classification of individuals regarding multiple latent skills. In this article, the authors show that this objective can be achieved by multidimensional adaptive testing (MAT) as well. The authors discuss whether or not the restricted applicability of DCMs can…

Considers equity issues of highstakes tests conducted by computer, including whether this new form of assessment actually helps level the playing field for students or represents a new cycle of assessment inequality. Two computer tests are assessed: Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessment; and the computerized version of the Graduate Record…

Discusses computerized adaptive testing, which is designed to provide students with an individualized examination adjusted to their skill levels. Indicates that scores are derived by comparing correct answers with the answers' difficulty rating. Highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the system and provides guidelines for successful…

Presents a conceptual framework of educational diagnosis based on formative evaluation. Describes a computer-based diagnostic system that maximizes the coherence and effectiveness of obtained information by generating a structural diagnosis of the nature of student errors and a causal diagnosis related to teaching methods. Contains 64 references.…

Computer adaptive testing is the study of scoring tests and questions based on assumptions concerning the mathematical relationship between examinees' ability and the examinees' responses. Adaptive student tests, which are based on item response theory (IRT), have many advantages over conventional tests. We use the least square method, a…

Limitations seen in traditional educational procedures are discussed, and three new directions are suggested as being important emphases for testing. A new perception of measurement in which children have positions along particular concept dimensions or "lines" is discussed in terms of traditional testing notions including variables, item banks…

According to the Committee on the Foundations of Educational Assessment, traditional educational assessment does a reasonable job of measuring knowledge of basic facts, procedures and proficiency of an area of the curriculum. However, the traditional approach fails to capture the breadth and richness of knowledge and cognition. Such a concern…

Two focus groups of test and measurement experts were held to explore the use of out-of-level testing for students with disabilities. The participants (n=17) included state and federal level assessment personnel, test company employees, and university professors. A content analysis of the narrative results indicated that there was no clear…

In this study, special education teachers identified students with learning disabilities who were working on math skills usually taught two grades below the grade in which the student was enrolled. Each student (n=33) took two levels of the MAT/7 math computation test, an on-grade test, and an out-of-level test intended for students two grades…