Title: Self-adapted testing: an overview

Authors: Steven L. Wise, Vicente Ponsoda, Julio Olea

Addresses: Center for Assessment and Research Studies, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA. Facultad de Psicologia, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Canto Blanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. Facultad de Psicologia, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Canto Blanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain

Abstract: A self-adapted test is a computerised test that allows examinees to choose the difficulty levels of the items they have to answer. This paper describes its basic principles and the main research results about its effects on examinees| performance and well-being. Despite some divergent results and compared to computerised adaptive testing, it appears safe to conclude that self-adapted testing decreases anxiety, reduces the correlation between anxiety and proficiency, increases testing time and sometimes increases examinee mean proficiency. Its advantages and liabilities are discussed, along with implications for measurement practice.

Keywords: self-adapted testing; computerised adaptive testing; anxiety; validity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2002.000422

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2002 Vol.12 No.1/2/3/4, pp.107-122

Published online: 16 Jul 2003 *

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