Examination of the Transition of a Large-Scale to Multistage Testing (MST) Assessment

• In Event: Statistical Methods and Quantitative Analysis in Higher Education Assessment

Abstract

The study assessed multiple-form structure designs of multistage testing (MST) as an alternative to classical linear testing (CLT) using the same items of General-Aptitude-Test (GAT). The GAT is a requirement for colleges/institutions’ admission to higher education in Saudi Arabia for high-school graduates. The results of testing varied assembly methods, routing methods, and panel structures revealed trivial differences in the estimated ability and standard error means, but the correlations with CLT-score were affected. For testing practitioners, the difference between MST conditions is of little concern and what is a concern involves the test’s purpose. A combination of assembling method with routing method in MST-2Stage or MST-3tage performed better than other condition for ability estimation while other condition works better for classification.

Author

• Hanan M. AlGhamdi, National Center for Assessment