Developing adaptive tests

Computerized adaptive tests (CATs) are the future of assessment. They operate by adapting both the difficulty and number of items to each individual examinee. The development of an adaptive test is no small feat, and requires five steps integrating the expertise of test content developers, software engineers, and psychometricians. The development of a quality adaptive test is not possible without a Ph.D. psychometrician experienced in both item response theory (IRT) calibration and CAT simulation research. FastTEST Web can provide you the psychometrician and software; if you provide test items and pilot data, when can help you quickly publish an adaptive version of your test. Click here sign up for a free trial.

Step 1: Feasibility, applicability, and planning studies. First, extensive monte carlo simulation research must occur, and the results formulated as business cases, to evaluate whether adaptive testing is feasible, applicable, or even possible.

Step 2: Develop item bank. An item bank must be developed to meet the specifications recommended by Step 1.

Step 3: Pretest and calibrate item bank. Items must be pilot tested on 200-1000 examinees (depends on IRT model) and analyzed by Ph.D. psychometrician.

Step 4: Determin specifications for final CAT. Data from Step 3 is analyzed to evaluate CAT specifications and determine most efficient algorithms.

Step 5: Publish live CAT. The adaptive test is published in a testing engine capable of fully adaptive tests based on IRT.

Want to learn more about our one-of-a-kind model? Click here to read the seminal article by two of our psychometricians. More adaptive testing research is available here.