Ebook: Practical Considerations in Computer-Based Testing

This book introduces computer-based testing, addressing both nontechnical and technical considerations. The material is oriented toward practitioners and graduate students. The practical emphasis will be useful to measurement professionals who are or will be responsible for implementing a computerized testing program. The instructional information is also designed to be suitable for a one-semester graduate course in computerized testing in an educational measurement or quantitative methods program. While certain theoretical concepts are addressed, the focus of the book is on the applied nature of computerized testing. For this reason, the materials include such features as example applications, figures, and plots to illustrate critical points in the discussions. A wide range ofnontechnical issues need to be considered in implementing a computer-based testing program. Separate chapters are provided on test administration and development issues, examinee issues, software issues, and innovative item types. Test administration and delivery issues include the location of exam administration, selection of hardware and software, security considerations, scheduling of administration frequency and time limits, cost implications, and program support as well as approaches for addressing reliability, validity, comparability, and data analysis. Examinee issues include the influence ofexaminees' reactions to adaptive testing, the effect ofcomputer­ based task constraints, and the impact of examinees' prior computer experience. Software issues include usability studies and software evaluation as tools in selecting and developing appropriate software, based on the test program needs.

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This book emphasizes the practical side of computer-based testing and presents suggestions, information, and ideas for its actual implementation. Most current references on computer-based testing either cover the topics from a theoretical point of view or present numerous examples of different and often disparate topics that have been assessed using computer-based testing methods.
This book is different. It assumes that the reader may have little or no experience in actually implementing a computer-based testing program, even if knowledgeable about the psychometrics and measurement principles that govern it. It provides guidance and information that can be used to make wise, informed decisions, including the type of computer-based test that should be administered, possible cost to examinees, examinee reactions to the test, scoring issues, computer mode effects, the development of innovative item types, the time and cost needed to create and maintain an item pool, and many more.

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This book emphasizes the practical side of computer-based testing and presents suggestions, information, and ideas for its actual implementation. Most current references on computer-based testing either cover the topics from a theoretical point of view or present numerous examples of different and often disparate topics that have been assessed using computer-based testing methods.
This book is different. It assumes that the reader may have little or no experience in actually implementing a computer-based testing program, even if knowledgeable about the psychometrics and measurement principles that govern it. It provides guidance and information that can be used to make wise, informed decisions, including the type of computer-based test that should be administered, possible cost to examinees, examinee reactions to the test, scoring issues, computer mode effects, the development of innovative item types, the time and cost needed to create and maintain an item pool, and many more.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Considerations in Computer-Based Testing....Pages 1-12
Issues in Test Administration and Development....Pages 13-33
Examinee Issues....Pages 34-46
Software Issues....Pages 47-69
Issues in Innovative Item Types....Pages 70-91
Computerized Fixed Tests....Pages 92-105
Automated Test Assembly for Online Administration....Pages 106-125
Computerized Adaptive Tests....Pages 126-152
Computerized Classification Tests....Pages 153-168
Item Pool Evaluation and Maintenance....Pages 169-193
Comparison of the Test-Delivery Methods....Pages 194-209
Back Matter....Pages 210-222

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This book emphasizes the practical side of computer-based testing and presents suggestions, information, and ideas for its actual implementation. Most current references on computer-based testing either cover the topics from a theoretical point of view or present numerous examples of different and often disparate topics that have been assessed using computer-based testing methods.
This book is different. It assumes that the reader may have little or no experience in actually implementing a computer-based testing program, even if knowledgeable about the psychometrics and measurement principles that govern it. It provides guidance and information that can be used to make wise, informed decisions, including the type of computer-based test that should be administered, possible cost to examinees, examinee reactions to the test, scoring issues, computer mode effects, the development of innovative item types, the time and cost needed to create and maintain an item pool, and many more.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Considerations in Computer-Based Testing....Pages 1-12
Issues in Test Administration and Development....Pages 13-33
Examinee Issues....Pages 34-46
Software Issues....Pages 47-69
Issues in Innovative Item Types....Pages 70-91
Computerized Fixed Tests....Pages 92-105
Automated Test Assembly for Online Administration....Pages 106-125
Computerized Adaptive Tests....Pages 126-152
Computerized Classification Tests....Pages 153-168
Item Pool Evaluation and Maintenance....Pages 169-193
Comparison of the Test-Delivery Methods....Pages 194-209
Back Matter....Pages 210-222
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