Technological innovations in large-scale assessment

Computers have had a tremendous impact on assessment practices over the past half century. Advances in computer technology have substantially influenced the ways in which tests are made, administered, scored, and reported to examinees. These changes are particularly evident in computer-based testing, where the use of computers has allowed test developers to re-envision what test items look like and how they are scored. By integrating technology into assessments, it is increasingly possible to create test items that can sample as broad or as narrow a range of behaviors as needed while preserving a great deal of fidelity to the construct of interest. In this article we review and illustrate some of the current technological developments in computer-based testing, focusing on novel item formats and automated scoring methodologies. Our review indicates that a number of technological innovations in performance assessment are increasingly being researched and implemented by testing programs. In some cases, complex psychometric and operational issues have successfully been dealt with, but a variety of substantial measurement concerns associated with novel item types and other technological aspects impede more widespread use. Given emerging research, however, there appears to be vast potential for expanding the use of more computerized constructed-response type items in a variety of testing contexts.