Assisted Assessment: A Taxonomy of Approaches and an Outline of Strengths and Weaknesses

Traditional approaches to both the assessment of student abilities and the design of instructional programs have recently come under strong attack. Of particular concern to many is the nature of the link between assessment and instruction. Some of the criticisms are reviewed, and a set of alternative approaches designed to overcome the difficulties is presented. The major focus is on dynamic, as opposed to static, assessment. A major feature of these approaches is the provision, to the student, of some form of assistance designed to influence performance and hence reveal students' potential for change. Within this general approach, specific applications differ along three dimensions. The first, focus, refers to the goal of evaluating change itself or the processes presumed to underlie change. The second, intervention, refers to the fact that the assistance included in the assessment can be given in either a standardized or clinical fashion. And the third, target, reflects the fact that assessment can be aimed at either domain-general or domain-specific skills. The distinct approaches that have been developed are categorized, and their respective strengths and weaknesses discussed. Suggestions for future research are made.