Chapter 7: The Role of Technology in the Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

ORIENTATION TO THE CHAPTER

In this chapter, we will address the impact of the latest technological developments in quality processes regarding assessment in medical education.

In the first part, we discuss the evolution of assessment in medical education and how the growing need for assessment opportunities has nudged traditional formats toward computer-based assessment. In the second part, we look at how technology is impacting foundational tasks in assessment in particular, test design, test assembly, and reporting. In the third part, we will analyze how technology is impacting operationally and improving efficiency and accuracy of assessments. Finally, we will elaborate on what we envision the future holds for assessment in medical education.

INTRODUCTION—THE INCREASING ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MEDICINE AND MEDICAL EDUCATION

Profound global and economic changes are changing educational measurement [1]. Thanks to the unified effort of cognitive sciences, statistical theories of test scores, education psychology, educational technology, and computer science, educational measurement is evolving at a fast pace. This exponential evolution translates into clear changes in the assessment systems, the most notable of which is the transition from assessment through paper tests to computer tests [2]. This change reveals a shift in the paradigm of educational assessment, with paper-based tests being no longer a feasible method because of its resource-intensive process, which urged for solutions like computer-based testing (CBT) systems [3,4,5]. In fact, over the last few years, CBT has become a widely used form of evaluation and is now considered one of the most effective assessment methodologies in education [6].

Computer-Based Testing

CBT is changing educational measurement due to the merging of test-administration procedures with digital media and the Internet, which makes it possible to create new types of tests and testing resources. These tests are paperless and administered with a computer that uses a test model to implement a process of selecting and administering items, allowing the students’ performances to be scored and categorized by their ability in each item [2]. According to the authors, this approach has potential benefits such as shortened tests without loss of measurement precision; enhanced score reliability, particularly for low- and high-ability examinees; improved test security; testing on demand; and immediate test scoring and reporting.

The introduction of the Internet and the proliferation of Internet-based computerized assessment has further improved this scoring system, making it especially advantageous for both educators and students when compared with traditional testing methods [2,7]. Through the administration of tests over the network, educators not only are free of time-consuming processes usually associated with paper-based tests but also ...