Some Practical Examples of Computer‐Adaptive Sequential Testing

Computerized testing has created new challenges for the production and administration of test forms. Many testing organizations engaged in or considering computerized testing may find themselves changing from well‐established procedures for handcrafiing a small number of paper‐and‐pencil test forms to procedures for mass producing many computerized test forms. This paper describes an integratedapproach to test development and administration called computer‐adaptive sequential testing, or CAST. CAST is a structured approach to test construction which incorporates both adaptive testing methods with automated test assembly to allow test developers to maintain a greater degree of control over the production, quality assurance, and administration of different types of computerized tests. CAST retains much of the efficiency of traditional computer adaptive testing (CAT) and can be modified for computer mastery testing (CMT) applications. The CAST framework is described in detail and several applications are demonstrated using a medical licensure example.