Test fraud is an extremely common occurrence. We’ve all seen articles like this one. 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 […]
Item response theory (IRT) is the dominant psychometric paradigm for constructing, scoring and analyzing assessments. Virtually all large-scale assessments utilize IRT because of its well-documented advantages. In many cases, however, it is referred to as a single way of analyzing data. But, IRT is actually a family of fast-growing models. I often hear the question: […]
If you are looking around for an online exam platform, you have certainly discovered there are many out there. How do you choose? Well, for starters, it is important to understand that the range of quality and sophistication is incredible. This post will help you identify some salient features and benefits that you should consider […]
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 […]
Classical Test Theory (CTT) is a psychometric approach to analyzing, improving, scoring, and validating assessments. It is based on relatively simple concepts, such as averages, proportions, and correlations. One of the most frequently used aspects is item statistics, which provide insight into how an individual test question is performing. Is it too easy, too hard, too […]
Education, to me, is the neverending opportunities we have for a cycle of instruction and assessment. This can be extremely small scale (watching a YouTube video on how to change a bike tire, then doing it) to large scale (teaching a 5th grad math curriculum and then assessing it nationwide). Psychometrics is the Science of […]
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 […]
