Decision-making

Assessment and testing serve decision making around such functions as learning, qualifications, selection, recruitment, professional development, and care. As such, tests contribute to correct decision making about students, employees, and clients. Consequently, test designers, administrators, analysts, evaluators, and end-users all contribute their little bit for the benefit of all concerned. Nonetheless, threats to the validity of the decision throughout the testing process need to be identified and mitigated.

Identity

Tests shape test-givers and test-users. Knowing how to take a test and how to give a test requires having a perspective on not only the test and its constructs but also oneself. Testers, especially those who are also educators, have to take on certain assessment identities to succeed in their role. Test-takers also have to embrace an identity of a ‘tested person’, accepting the legitimacy of being tested, resulting in making appropriate effort. Individuals who accept their test-bound identity are bound to be more successful. Understanding the identity formation processes within testing is an important facet of improved testing.

Culture

Contemporary society involves crossing cultural, linguistic, and status borders and boundaries. Tests have validity within the settings within which they were developed; hence, tests need to be demonstrably shown to have validity when translated, adapted, or developed in new settings. Consequently, theories and data that might fit better in indigenous and minority culture groups merit exploration. Testing with, by, and for these groups has yet to become widespread.

Technology

The prevalence of new technologies often leads to the desire to implement them rapidly in our tests. However, the applicability of new tech to the long-standing problem of how to collect data validly and efficiently and turn that into meaningful information is often highly questionable. Testers have to evaluate new technology utility, feasibility, accuracy, and propriety. Without strong evidence that a technology will lead to better data, that technology is simply faddism. A theory of how process data measures attributes that are meaningfully related to instruction, training, and development is still lacking.

Psychometrics

Turning responses into meaningful scales and ensuring that end-users (i.e., administrators, test-takers, society) understand how that data was generated and how trustworthy and accurate the scores are is a core function of all test developers. Psychometric procedures have to move from calculating new formulae or generating greater accuracy at the 3rd decimal, to actually serving the needs of society by ensuring robust scores support decision-making.