Abstract
In this chapter, we present a brief overview of computerized adaptive testing theory, including test design, test assembly, item bank, item selection, scoring and equating, content balance, item exposure and security. We also provide a summary of the IRT-based item selection process with a list of the commonly used item selection methods, as well as a brief outline of the tree-based adaptive testing.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ackerman, T. A. (1989). Unidimensional IRT calibration of compensatory and non-compensatory multidimensional items. Applied Psychological Measurement, 13, 113–127. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168901300201
Barrada, J. R., Mazuela, P., & Olea, J. (2006). Maximum information stratification method for controlling item exposure in computerized adaptive testing. Psicothema, 18, 156–159.
Barrada, J. R., Olea, J., Ponsoda, V., & Abad, F. J. (2008). Incorporating randomness to the fisher information for improving item exposure control in cats. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 61, 493–513. https://doi.org/10.1348/000711007X230937
Barrada, J. R., Olea, J., Ponsoda, V., & Abad, F. J. (2009). Item selection rules in computerized adaptive testing: Accuracy and security. Methodology, 5, 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-2241.5.1.7
Barrada, J. R., Olea, J., Ponsoda, V., & Abad, F. J. (2010). A method for the comparison of item selection rules in computerized adaptive testing. Applied Psychological Measurement, 34, 438–452. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621610370152
Bejar, I. I., Lawless, R. R., Morley, M. E., Wagner, M. E., Bennett, R. E., & Revuelta, J. (2003). A feasibility study of on-the-fly item generation in adaptive testing. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 2(3), 3–29.
Belov, D. I., & Armstrong, R. D. (2009). Direct and inverse problems of item pool design for computerized adaptive testing. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 69, 533–547. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164409332224
Birnbaum, A. (1968). Some latent trait models and their use in inferring an examinee’s ability. In F. M. Lord & M. R. Novick (Eds.), Statistical theories of mental test scores. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Breiman, L., Friedman, L., Stone, C. J., & Olshen, R. A. (1984). Classification and regression trees. New York: CRC Press.
Chang, H.-H., & Ying, Z. (1996). A global information approach to computerized adaptive testing. Applied Psychological Measurement, 20, 213–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662169602000303
Chang, S., & Ansley, T. (2003). A comparative study of item exposure control methods in computerized adaptive testing. Journal of Educational Measurement, 40, 71–103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.2003.tb01097.x
Cheng, Y., & Chang, H.-H. (2009). The maximum priority index method for severely constrained item selection in computerized adaptive testing. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 62, 369–383. https://doi.org/10.1348/000711008X304376
Cheng, Y., Chang, H.-H., Douglas, J., & Guo, F. (2009). Constraint-weighted a-stratification for computerized adaptive testing with nonstatistical constraints: Balancing measurement efficiency and exposure control. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 69, 35–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164408322030
Choi, S. W. (2009). FIRESTAR: Computerized adaptive testing simulation program for polytomous item response theory models. Applied Psychological Measurement, 33, 644–645. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621608329892
Choi, S. W., & Swartz, R. J. (2009). Comparison of CAT item selection criteria for polytomous items. Applied Psychological Measurement, 32, 419–440. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164408322030
Davey, T., & Parshall, C. G. (1999). New algorithms for item selection and exposure control with computerized adaptive testing. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association.
Dodd, B. G., De Ayala, R. J., & Koch, W. R. (1995). Computerized adaptive testing with polytomous items. Applied Psychological Measurement, 19, 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662169501900103
Eggen, T. J. H. M. (2010). Three-category adaptive classification testing. In W. V. der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Elements of adaptive testing (pp. 373–387). New York: Springer.
Geerlings, H., Glas, C., & van der Linden, W. J. (2011). Modeling rule-based item generation. Psychometrika, 76, 337–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11336-011-9204-x
Glas, C. A. W., & van der Linden, W. J. (2003). Computerized adaptive testing with item cloning. Applied Psychological Measurement, 27, 247–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621603027004001
Glas, C. A. W., & Vos, H. J. (2010). Adaptive mastery testing using a multidimensional IRT model. In W. V. der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Elements of adaptive testing (pp. 409–431). New York: Springer.
Hetter, R. D., & Sympson, J. B. (1997). Item exposure control in CAT-ASVAB. In J. R. McBride (Ed.), Computerized adaptive testing: From inquiry to operation (pp. 141–144). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Hsu, C.-L., Wang, W.-C., & Chen, S.-Y. (2013). Variable-length computerized adaptive testing based on cognitive diagnosis models. Applied Psychological Measurement, 37, 563–582. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621613488642
Huitzing, H. A., Veldkamp, B. P., & Verschoor, A. J. (2005). Infeasibility in automated test assembly models: A comparison study of different methods. Journal of Educational Measurement, 42, 223–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.2005.00012.x
Irvine, S., & Kyllonen, P. (2002). Item generation for test development. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Kaplan, M., de la Torre, J., & Barrada, J. R. (2015). New item selection methods for cognitive diagnosis computerized adaptive testing. Applied Psychological Measurement, 39, 167–188. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621614554650
Kingsbury, G. G., & Zara, A. R. (1989). Procedures for selecting items for computerized adaptive tests. Applied Measurement in Education, 2, 359–375. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324818ame0204\_6
Kingsbury, G. G., & Zara, A. R. (1991). A comparison of procedures for content-sensitive item selection in computerized adaptive tests. Applied Measurement in Education, 4, 241–261. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324818ame0403\_4
Leung, C. K., Chang, H.-H., & Hau, K. T. (2003). Computerized adaptive testing: A comparison of three content balancing methods. The Journal of Technology, Learning and Assessment, 2, 1–15.
Lewis, C., & Sheehan, K. (1990). Using Bayesian decision theory to design a computerized mastery test. Applied Psychological Measurement, 14, 367–386. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662169001400404
Lord, F. M. (1977). A broad-range tailored test of verbal ability. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662167700100115
Luecht, R. M. (1998). Computer-assisted test assembly using optimization heuristics. Applied Psychological Measurement, 22, 224–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/01466216980223003
Magis, D. (2013). A note on the item information function of the four-parameter logistic model. Applied Psychological Measurement, 37, 304–315. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621613475471
Magis, D. (2015a). Empirical comparison of scoring rules at early stages of CAT. Paper presented at the Conference of the International Association for Computerized Adaptive Testing, Cambridge, UK.
Magis, D. (2015b). A note on the equivalence between observed and expected information functions with polytomous IRT models. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 40, 96–105. https://doi.org/10.3102/1076998614558122
Magis, D., & Barrada, J. R. (2017). Computerized adaptive testing with R: Recent updates of the package catR. Journal of Statistical Software, Code Snippets, 76(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v076.c01
Magis, D., & Raîche, G. (2012). Random generation of response patterns under computerized adaptive testing with the R package catR. Journal of Statistical Software, 48(8), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v048.i08
Magis, D., & Verhelst, N. (2017). On the finiteness of the weighted likelihood estimator of ability. Psychometrika. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11336-016-9518-9
McBride, J. R., & Martin, J. T. (1983). Reliability and validity of adaptive ability tests in a military setting. In D. J. Weiss (Ed.), New horizons in testing: Latent trait test theory and computerized adaptive testing (pp. 224–236). New York: Academic Press.
McClarty, K. L., Sperling, R. A., & Dodd, B. G. (2006). A variant of the progressive-restricted item exposure control procedure in computerized adaptive testing systems based on the 3PL and partial credit models. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
Mills, C. N., Potenza, M. T., Fremer, J. J., & Ward, W. C. (2002). Computer-based testing: Building the foundation for future assessments. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Parshall, C. G., Davey, T., & Nering, M. L. (1998). Test development exposure control for adaptive testing. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, San Diego, CA.
Reckase, M. D. (2009). Multidimensional item response theory. New York: Springer.
Revuelta, J., & Ponsoda, V. (1998). A comparison of item exposure control methods in computerized adaptive testing. Journal of Educational Measurement, 35, 311–327. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.1998.tb00541.x
Riley, B. B., Dennis, M. L., & Conrad, K. J. (2010). A comparison of content-balancing procedures for estimating multiple clinical domains in computerized adaptive testing: Relative precision, validity, and detection of persons with misfitting responses. Applied Psychological Measurement, 34, 410–423. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621609349802
Rulison, K., & Loken, E. (2009). I’ve fallen and I can’t get up: Can high-ability students recover from early mistakes in CAT? Applied Psychological Measurement, 33, 83–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146621608324023
Samejima, F. (1977). A use of the information function in tailored testing. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 233–247. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662167700100209
Segall, D. O. (2004). A sharing item response theory model for computerized adaptive testing. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 29, 439–460. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986029004439
Segall, D. O. (2010). Principles of multidimensional adaptive testing. In W. V. der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Elements of adaptive testing (pp. 57–75). New York: Springer.
Smith, R., & Lewis, C. (2014). Multistage testing for categorical decisions. In D. Yan, A. A. von Davier, & C. Lewis (Eds.), Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications (pp. 189–203). New York: CRC Press.
Stocking, M. L., & Lewis, C. (1998). Controlling item exposure conditional on ability in computerized adaptive testing. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 23, 57–75. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986023001057
Swanson, L., & Stocking, M. (1993). A model and heuristic for solving very large item selection problem. Applied Psychological Measurement, 17, 151–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662169301700205
Urry, V. W. (1970). A Monte Carlo investigation of logistic test models. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
van der Linden, W. J. (1998a). Bayesian item selection criteria for adaptive testing. Psychometrika, 63, 201–216. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02294775
van der Linden, W. J. (1998b). Optimal test assembly of psychological and educational tests. Applied Psychological Measurement, 22, 195–211. https://doi.org/10.1177/01466216980223001
van der Linden, W. J. (2000). Constrained adaptive testing with shadow tests. In W. J. van der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Computerized adaptive testing: Theory and practice (pp. 27–52). Norwell, MA: Kluwer.
van der Linden, W. J. (2005). A comparison of item-selection methods for adaptive tests with content constraints. Journal of Educational Measurement, 42, 283–302. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.2005.00015.x
van der Linden, W. J., Ariel, A., & Veldkamp, B. P. (2006). Assembling a computerized adaptive testing item pool as a set of linear tests. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 31, 81–99. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986031001081
van der Linden, W. J., & Diao, Q. (2014). Using a universal shadow test assembler with multistage testing. In D. Yan, A. A. von Davier, & C. Lewis (Eds.), Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications (pp. 101–118). New York: CRC Press.
van der Linden, W. J., & Glas, C. A. W. (2010). Elements of adaptive testing. New York: Springer.
van der Linden, W. J., & Guo, F. (2008). Bayesian procedures for identifying aberrant response-time patterns in adaptive testing. Psychometrika, 73, 365–384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11336-007-9046-8
van der Linden, W. J., & Pashley, P. J. (2000). Item selection and ability estimation in adaptive testing. In W. J. van der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Computerized adaptive testing: Theory and practice (pp. 1–25). Norwell, MA: Kluwer.
van der Linden, W. J., & Pashley, P. J. (2010). Item selection and ability estimation in adaptive testing. In W. V. der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Elements of adaptive testing (pp. 3–30). New York: Springer.
van der Linden, W. J., Veldkamp, B. P., & Reese, L. M. (2000). An integer programming approach to item bank design. Applied Psychological Measurement, 24, 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1177/01466210022031570
Veerkamp, W. J. J., & Berger, M. P. F. (1997). Some new item selection criteria for adaptive testing. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 22, 203–226. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986022002203
Veldkamp, B. P. (2014). Item pool design and maintenance for multistage testing. In D. Yan, A. A. von Davier, & C. Lewis (Eds.), Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications (pp. 39–54). New York: CRC Press.
Veldkamp, B. P., & van der Linden, W. J. (2010). Designing item pools for adaptive testing. In W. V. der Linden & C. A. W. Glas (Eds.), Elements of adaptive testing (pp. 231–245). New York: Springer.
Wainer, H. (2000). Computerized adaptive testing: A primer (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
Wang, C. (2013). Mutual information item selection method in cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing with short test length. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 73, 1017–1035. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164413498256
Wang, C., Chang, H.-H., & Huebner, A. (2011). Restrictive stochastic item selection methods in cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing. Journal of Educational Measurement, 48, 255–273. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.2011.00145.x
Weiss, D. J. (1983). New horizons in testing: Latent trait theory and computerized adaptive testing. New York: Academic Press.
Weissman, A. (2014). IRT-based multistage testing. In D. Yan, A. A. von Davier, & C. Lewis (Eds.), Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications (pp. 153–168). New York: CRC Press.
Yan, D., Lewis, C., & Stocking, M. L. (2004). Adaptive testing with regression trees in the presence of multidimensionality. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 29, 293–316. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986029003293
Yan, D., Lewis, C., & von Davier, A. A. (2014b). A tree-based approach for multistage testing. In D. Yan, A. A. von Davier, & C. Lewis (Eds.), Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications (pp. 169–188). New York: CRC Press.
Yan, D., von Davier, A. A., & Lewis, C. (2014). Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications. New York: CRC Press.
Zheng, Y., Wang, C., Culbertson, M., & Chang, H.-H. (2014). Overview of test assembly methods in multistage testing. In D. Yan, A. A. von Davier, & C. Lewis (Eds.), Computerized multistage testing: Theory and applications (pp. 87–99). New York: CRC Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Magis, D., Yan, D., von Davier, A.A. (2017). An Overview of Computerized Adaptive Testing. In: Computerized Adaptive and Multistage Testing with R. Use R!. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69218-0_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69218-0_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-69217-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-69218-0
eBook Packages: Mathematics and StatisticsMathematics and Statistics (R0)