BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Mislevy is Professor of Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation at the University of Maryland. Previously he was a Distinguished Research Scientist at Educational Testing Service (ETS). He earned a PhD in the Methodology of Behavioral Research at the University of Chicago. Dr. Mislevy’s research applies developments in statistics, psychology, and technology to educational assessment. His current work focuses on an evidence-centered approach to assessment design, as exemplified in the Principled Assessment Design for Inquiry (PADI) project with SRI, International, and simulation-based assessment of computer networking with Cisco Systems, Inc. He has received the National Council on Measurement in Education’s Career Award for Contributions to Educational Measurement, been president of the Psychometric Society, and served on and chaired several National Research Council committees on cognition and assessment.

ABSTRACT

Some Terms and Concepts for Game- and Simulation-Based Assessment

Interactive games in complex simulated environments bear little resemblance to multiple-choice tests and essay examinations. The latter would seem to hold little insight into how to use simulation capabilities to build better assessments. Yet pressures on assessment from technology, psychology, and societal demand have sparked investigations into the foundations of assessment—their roots in evidentiary argument, psychological theory, and reasoning under uncertainty. These principles lie implicit in familiar forms of assessment. As they are better understood, they are being made explicit in new, more generative, forms and models that unify our understanding of existing forms of assessment and guide our work on new forms. This talk introduces key ideas in an evidence-centered approach to assessment design, highlighting those with particular relevance to game- and simulation-based assessments. It draws on collaborative work with John Behrens and Dennis Frezzo of Cisco Systems, Inc.