Perspectives on the Integration of Technology and Assessment

Abstract

This paper considers uses of technology in educational assessment from the perspective of innovation and support for teaching and learning. It examines assessment cases drawn from contexts that include large-scale testing programs as well as classroom-based programs, and attempts that have been made to harness the power of technology to provide rich, authentic tasks that elicit aspects of integrated knowledge, critical thinking, and problem solving. These aspects of cognition are seldom well addressed by traditional testing programs using paper and pencil or computer technologies. The paper also gives consideration to strategies for developing balanced, multilevel assessment systems that involve articulating relationships among curriculum-embedded, benchmark, and summative assessments that operate across classroom, district, state, national, and international levels. It discusses the multiple roles for technology in an assessment-based information system in light of the decision support needed from the multiple actors who operate across levels of the education system. The paper concludes with a consideration of the current state of the field as well as the potential for technology to help launch a new era of integrated, learning-centered assessment systems.

Commercial competence: comparing test results of paper-and-pencil versus computer-based assessments

“…Since the 1970s, several studies have made comparisons between CBA and PBA (Russell et al 2003), but these have had very different designs, and the results are as multifarious as the studies themselves, notably with respect to the comparison criteria and their apparent impact on performance measurements (Bennett 2001;Pellegrino and Quellmalz 2010;Kingston 2009;Frahm 2012). Further, technological trends and computer-use behaviors are changing rapidly, so that the results of earlier studies can quickly become obsolete (Russell et al 2003).…”

Digitizing practical production work for high-stakes assessments / La numérisation de travaux pratiques de production pour les évaluations à enjeux élevés / La numérisation de travaux pratiques de production pour les évaluations à enjeux élevés

“…Applications of computer-supported assessment have been developed in response to the short-comings of traditional forms of assessment that in particular are seen to fail to assess more complex tasks and higher-order thinking skills (Lin & Dwyer, 2006;McGaw, 2006;Pellegrino & Quellmalz, 2011). The use of portfolios has typically been offered as one means of addressing these issues but has presented some obstacles, particularly in terms of manageability and measurement reliability (Clarke-Midura & Dede, 2010).…”

Technology Use in Higher Education Instruction

“…With such an emphasis on cognitive development, Pellegrino and Quellmalz (2010) laud the potential and untapped benefits of technology-driven student assessment.…”

“…With a focus on serving student needs through assessment, Pellegrino and Quellmalz (2010) discuss the emerging synergy among uses of technology, instruction, theory and practice.…”

“…This would be true even when the amount of instructional data is multiplied. Formative and diagnostic uses of technology-based assessments are certain to improve student learning (Pellegrino & Quellmalz, 2010). In the current study, faculty who adopted technology more readily believed in its ability to help identify best instructional practices.…”