Development of a Prototype Computer-Based Testing and Assessment System

For much of the twentieth century, American education has relied heavily on large-scale, standardized ability testing; and this use of testing, as much as it can be attributed to any one set of needs, can be seen as a result of the American belief in meritocracy. Thus, testing has historically been used and supported for selection and placement decisions, assessment of school and training programs, and evaluation of educational outcomes. Within the past fifteen years, however, both testing and the testing industry have come under increasing fire. Some of this criticism, to be sure, is deserved, but much has been due to changing expectations of testing and its results as well as changing educational needs. Now, as recent developments in psychometric theory, statistics, cognitive psychology, and testing methodology converge with the availability of more sophisticated and powerful computers that are less expensive and easier to use, we are on the threshold of a technological revolution in the testing industry and can begin to meet the new expressed needs of education and training.