New technologies that are changing our concept of assessment

In traditional assessment, the outcomes of learning are measured - the number of science facts recalled, the percentage of words spelled correctly. The interactive capacity of new technologies allows us to create dynamic assessments that measure not just the outcomes but the processes of learning. In so doing we will be able to understand what kinds of strategies a student is following, what kinds of strategies or approaches are lacking, what aspects of the task environment bias the student toward successful or unsuccessful approaches, and what kinds of additional strategies might best match their learning style.

Most important, the new technologies allow two-way interactive assessments. With these technologies we will be able to create learning environments that not only teach but also learn. By distributing the intelligence better between student and environment, the curriculum is able to learn about the student (their individual strengths and styles) and keep track of the successes and failures of its own methods. The result is a curriculum that becomes smarter, not more outdated, over time.

Finally, dynamic assessments will be universally designed. By providing a full range of customizations and adaptations as a part of assessments, we will be able to accurately evaluate student performance and the processes that underlie that performance. The accuracy will come from the capacity to evaluate performance under varying conditions - ranging from conditions where the student's performance is constrained by barriers inherent in specific modes of representation, expression, or engagement, to conditions where appropriate adaptations and supports are available to overcome those barriers.