Computer adaptive testing

Maryland Assessment Research Center for Education Success,
University of Maryland, College Park
800 464-3742

Quick start

Proof-of-concept for an on-line computer-adaptive-test for MSDE

Concept:

Test skills needed for High School graduation
Quick (10-15 minutes per subject area)
Independent self-assessment
Detailed feedback
Identified resources for self-study

Approach

On-line; always available
Computer adaptive test technology
self-study resource available

This Demonstration

Portion of the MD HS Biology Assessment
Released items
Actual computer adaptive test
Three skill areas
Shows what the student might see
Shows behind the scenes statistics
3-10 minutes; 6-15 items

With this technology, each examinee will receive a different sequence of items. After each item is administered, the student's ability is estimated and a variety of statistics are computed in order to identify which new item will provide the most information about the examinee.

To start

The goal here, like any test, is to closely estimate the examinee's true ability - the score they would receive on a perfectly valid and perfectly reliable test. Pick your true score (i.e. pretend you are of below average, average, or above average ability). Then see if the software estimates your ability and what type of feedback you receive. This should take 3 to 10 minutes.

True ability in MDHSA units (This demo assumes the passing score is 460)
Pick a true score:
	Way below average	Below average	Average	Above average	Way above average
	400	450	500	550	600

Or enter your own value between 400 and 600:

How to do this

Select a true ability (above) and push "Start"
Biology items will be presented. Push "Submit" at least 6 times. Note that the ability estimate approaches the true ability.
After at least 6 items, push "All Done". Examine the feedback given to students and the statistics at the bottom of the page

The software will identify the most likely answers given the selected true ability. Please usually take the response selected by the computer. You can occasionally respond correctly when you should have gotten the item wrong (e.g. a lucky guess) or get an easy item wrong (e.g. dumb mistake). That's what happens in real life. If you do that, then, for this demo, please take three more items for each unexpected response. The software will adapt if enough items are taken.

Note

Don't expect the system to exactly recapture the true score with only a handful of items. But the system will be relatively close.
The more items you take, the more accurate will be your estimated score.
This is a prototype, not a finished product