Item response theory (IRT) is a family of machine learning models in the field of psychometrics, which are used to design, analyze, validate, and score assessments. It is a very powerful psychometric paradigm that allows researchers to build stronger assessments, whether they work in Education, Psychology, Human Resources, or other fields. It also solves measurement […]
ASC attended the 2016 Conference on Test Security (COTS), held October 18-20 in Cedar Rapids IA, graciously hosted by Pearson. The conference brings together thought leaders on all aspects of test security, including statistical detection of test fraud, management of test centers, candidate agreements, investigations, and legal implications. ASC was lucky enough to win three […]
If you are delivering high-stakes tests in linear forms – or piloting a bank for CAT/LOFT – you are faced with the issue of how to equate the forms together. That is, how can we defensibly translate a score on Form A to a score on Form B? While the concept is simple, the methodology […]
Test fraud is an extremely common occurrence. We’ve all seen articles about examinee cheating. However, there are very few defensible tools to help detect it. I once saw a webinar from an online testing provider that proudly touted their reports on test security… but it turned out that all they provided was a simple export […]
The “opt out” movement is a supposedly-grass-roots movement against K-12 standardized testing, primarily focusing action on encouraging parents to refuse to allow their kids to take tests, i.e., opt out of testing. The absolutely bizarre part of this is that large scale test scores are rarely used for individual impact on the student, and that […]
Every Spring, the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) hosts its annual conference, Innovations in Testing. This is the leading conference in the testing industry, with nearly 1000 people from major testing vendors and a wide range of test sponsors, from school districts to certification boards to employment testing companies. While the technical depth is much lower […]
The topic of test security is an emerging field within the assessment industry. Test fraud is one of the most salient threats to score validity, so methods to combat it are extremely important to all of us. So important, in fact, that an annual conference has been established that is devoted to the topic: the […]
Assessment is being drastically impacted by technology, as is much of education. Just like learning is undergoing a sea-change with artificial intelligence, multimedia, gamification, and many more aspects, assessment is likewise being impacted. This post discussed a few ways this is happening. What is assessment technology? 10 Ways That Assessment Technology Can Improve Exams […]
Some time ago, I received this question regarding interpreting IRT cutscores (item response theory): In my examination system, we are currently labeling ‘FAIL’ for student’s mark with below 50% and ‘PASS’ for 50% and above. I found that this amazing Xcalibre software can classify students’ achievement in 2 groups based on scores. But, when I […]
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a consortium of US States working together to develop educational assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards. This is a daunting task, and PARCC is doing an admirable job, especially with their focus on utilizing technology. However, one of the new item […]
