Computerized Adaptive Skill Assessment in a Statewide Testing Program

AbstractThe purpose of this article was to provide a pilot study of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) in the Michigan Educational Assessment Program’s 10th-grade mathematics problem-solving and applications subtests. More than five hundred volunteers in Grades 9-12 were used to calibrate 97 unique items in the test bank. A separate sample of 122 student volunteers was tested on the operational version of the CAT. Results indicated that the item bank spanned a wide ability range and performed well. Students answered an average of 19 items in approximately 16 min. The results produced a reduction of about 25% compared to its paper-and-pencil counterpart. Although the average ability estimate was high, about 20% of the sample scored below the 10th-grade (targeted) level. It is speculated that these students were better assessed with the CAT version because it contained 4th- and 7th-grade items in the item bank. Students responded well to the examination experience but had procedural suggestions to improve ...