| Abstract: | A strong demand currently exists for testing instruments that are capable of providing more informative and diagnostic results than typical tests offer. This paper reviews approaches that have been proposed for educational diagnostic assessment. Two major approaches are identified: (a) deficit assessment, which focuses on weaknesses of the student, and (b) error analysis, which focuses on the kinds of errors the student commits. This paper also reviews recent work related to diagnostic assessment that is based on the integration of methods from cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence. It is concluded that the development of powerful diagnostic instruments may require a reexamination of existing psychometric models and possibly the development of alternative ones. It is also pointed out that the traditional approach to the specification of content in terms of static taxonomies may not be appropriate given the dynamic and sequential nature of diagnostic assessment. Finally, it is noted that the psychometric and content demands of diagnostic assessment all but require test admininstration by computer. |
