Publications & Resources

Issues of Structure and Issues of Scale in Assessment From a Situative/Sociocultural Perspective

Jan 2006

Robert J. Mislevy

A situated/sociocultural (SC) view of assessment “emphasizes questions about the quality of students’ participation in activities of inquiry and sense-making, and considers assessment practices as integral components of the general systems of activity in which they occur” (Greeno, Collins, & Resnick, 1997). This report addresses two issues. The first is understanding the SC view of assessment through the lens of an “evidence centered” design framework that has proven useful for assessment cast in trait, behavioral, and information-processing perspectives. The second is addressing issues that arise when one attempts to design assessments that are at once compatible with SC principles and suitable for large-scale use. Illustrations are drawn from the Advanced Placement Studio Art portfolio art assessment and the HYDRIVE intelligent tutoring system.

Mislevy, R. J. (2006). Issues of structure and issues of scale in assessment from a situative/sociocultural perspective (CSE Report 668). Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).