Showed how Taylor approximation can be used to generate a linear approximation to a logistic item characteristic curve and a linear ability estimator. Demonstrated how, for a specific simulation, this could result in the special case of a Robbins-Monro item selection procedure for adaptive testing. (SLD)

Administrative office technology assessments were delivered via the Internet to 141 vocational students. Compared to 61 who took a paper test, scores for the Internet group were significantly higher; 62% preferred the Internet format. There were few problems with accessing, downloading, taking, and submitting the test. (SK)

Presents a constrained computerized adaptive testing (CAT) algorithm that can be used to equate CAT number-correct scores to a reference test. Used an item bank from the Law School Admission Test to compare results of the algorithm with those for equipercentile observed-score equating. Discusses advantages of the approach. (SLD)

Studied strategy development in a computerized task developed from the block design task of S. Kohs (1923). Results for 90 subjects aged 12, 17, and adult show 3 strategies: global, analytic, and "synthetic." Discusses some age differences and implications for recent work in cognitive and developmental psychology. (SLD)

Considers computerized adaptive testing from the perspective of graphical modeling (GM). GM provides methods for making inferences about multifaceted skills and knowledge and for extracting data from complex performances. Provides examples from language-proficiency assessment. (SLD)

Evaluates a method for item selection in adaptive testing that is based on Kullback-Leibler information (KLI) (T. Cover and J. Thomas, 1991). Simulation study results show that testing algorithms using KLI-based item selection perform better than or as well as those using Fisher information item selection. (SLD)

Brothen and Wambach (2001) found that under certain conditions students do not benefit from online resources. They awarded points toward the course grade for high performance on small sets of practice questions and concluded student strategies in completing these quizzes were not beneficial to course performance. We investigated student use of…

The author breaks down the debate over high-stakes testing into three politically charged issues: how test scores are used as a means to reform schools; whether test designs and passing scores truly reflect students' abilities; and how public perception of schools can be unfairly based on test results alone.

This article presents results of a comparison between paper and computer tests of ability in Chemistry and Computing. A statistical model is employed to analyse the experimental data from almost 200 candidates. It is shown that there is no medium effect when specific traditional paper examinations in Chemistry and Computing are transferred into…

For many reasons, paper-based tests of course content are shifting to computer-based administration. This investigation examined student performance on two separate tests delivered either by computer or paper with the first test near the start of the course and the second at the end of the course. Undergraduate-level freshman business majors…

In textbooks, foreign (second) language reading proficiency is often evaluated through comprehension questions. In case, authentic texts are used as reading material, such questions should be prepared by teachers. However, preparing appropriate questions may be a very demanding task for teachers. This paper introduces a method for automatically…

ASSISTments is a web-based math tutor designed to address the need for timely student assessment while simultaneously providing instruction, thereby avoiding lost instruction time that typically occurs during assessment. This article presents a quasi-experiment that evaluates whether ASSISTments use has an effect on improving middle school…

Multiple intelligences, with its hypothesis and implementation, have ascended to a prominent status among the many instructional methodologies. Meanwhile, pedagogical theories and concepts are in need of more alternative and interactive assessments to prove their prevalence (Kinugasa, Yamashita, Hayashi, Tominaga, & Yamasaki, 2005). In general,…

ASSISTments is a web-based math tutor designed to address the need for timely student assessment while simultaneously providing instruction, thereby avoiding lost instruction time that typically occurs during assessment. This article presents a quasi-experiment that evaluates whether ASSISTments use has an effect on improving middle school…

This research examined the impact of formative quizzes on e-learning designed to teach volunteers how to tutor struggling readers. Three research questions were addressed: (1) Do embedded quizzes facilitate learning of e-content? (2) Does the announcement of upcoming quizzes affect learning? (3) Does prior knowledge interact with quizzing and…