Expanding the Meaning of Adaptive Testing to Enhance Validity
Abstract
Abstract
The computerized adaptive test (CAT), which adjusts the difficulty levels of administered items to match the ability levels of the test takers, has a long history of providing efficient testing. After 50 years of research, however, CATs have evolved little beyond the initial idea of adapting item difficulty. In this paper I suggest that we begin viewing adaptation in a more expanded manner, arguing that measurement will be further improved by a CAT’s being able to detect and adapt to the presence of construct-irrelevant factors that threaten the validity of individual test scores. Several examples of innovative adaptations currently provided by an operational CAT program are discussed.
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