Computer-Adaptive Assessments

What is a computer adaptive test?

Adaptive testing is fun, flexible, and fast. Unlike traditional tests, adaptive assessments use computer programmes to adjust questions based on the student’s ability. The questions change as the student moves through the test.

Paper-based or static tests tend to check a student’s curriculum subject knowledge. A computer adaptive baseline assessment gives insight into a student’s skills, abilities and academic potential.

In the adaptive baseline assessments from Cambridge, the question difficulty changes based on the student’s performance during the test. If the student is doing well and answering questions correctly, the difficulty level of the questions increases. If or when students start struggling, the algorithm recognises the pattern. It then adjusts and gives them easier questions.

The unique algorithm challenges every individual at the level that is right for them. This makes the experience of sitting the test much more enjoyable and motivating. It also means that no tests are the same, which dramatically reduces the chances for cheating.

Because of the adaptive nature of the test, the baseline can accurately measure the test taker’s level of ability.

How do adaptive tests work?

The adaptive testing principle relies on having an extensive question item bank. Before developing the assessment, educational researchers carefully study and trial hundreds of test questions. Once they have enough evidence to understand how difficult questions are and know the age when children can most likely correctly answer each question, they use a system to rank the test items by difficulty.

The first question is determined by the age of the child sitting the test minus two years. The next questions depend on how the learner answered, until they reach a point where their ability, or working age, becomes clear.
As the learner progresses through the test, they should always have at least a 50% chance of answering correctly.

The great thing about an algorithm that knows if an answer is right or wrong is that it doesn't need marking. This is a huge time-saver for teachers. The tests are also more efficient because they need fewer questions.

This helps get a better estimate of the student's ability compared to a traditional test.

A brief history of adaptive assessments

The concept of adaptive assessment can be traced back to 1905 and the Stanford-Binet scales.

The idea was simple: students who could not answer an easy question were unlikely to be able to answer a difficult one. To understand the cognitive development of young children, Binet started tailoring his tests. The questions he used were ranked in terms of difficulty and he also introduced stopping rules for ending the test.

Binet understood that the patterns he noticed in his subjects’ responses were important. These patterns revealed as much insight about their learning as their actual answers did.

Tailored testing was practiced on a small-scale for many years, usually on an individual basis and for research purposes. As technology improved and access to computers became more widely accessible, adaptive testing became possible on a larger scale.

The Cambridge baseline assessment for lower secondary students (MidYIS) has been fully adaptive since 2005. The primary version (now Cambridge Primary Insight) has used adaptive testing since 2003. Over the past twenty years, the assessment developers at Cambridge have gathered data from test items and updated the algorithm and standardisations so that the baseline assessments provide the most accurate benchmark of student performance.

“We chose to implement Cambridge baseline assessments across the Middle and High Schools because it is adaptive.”

Parras Majithia, Beijing International Bilingual Academy

Benefits of using adaptive tests

Adaptive assessments adjust the difficulty of questions based on the test-taker’s performance in real-time, providing a more personalised and accurate measure of their abilities.

The adaptive programme can analyse a student’s responses and adapt the content accordingly, ensuring that each learner is challenged appropriately. This approach not only makes the assessment process more efficient but also enhances the learning experience by providing immediate feedback and identifying areas for improvement.

  • Digital: no paperwork, hassle, or fuss – just need a computer
  • Saves time: quick data-processing and fewer questions means shorter time spent on testing
  • Personalised: tests are tailored to the ability of each individual
  • Motivating: learners are challenged at the right level without becoming overwhelmed

Are adaptive tests right for my school?

The adaptive baseline assessments from Cambridge test the skills and abilities students require for learning across all subjects. The insights are valuable no matter which curriculum is used in school. The only requirements for running these tests are having access to laptops and a stable internet connection.

For schools with a high proportion of English as an Additional Language (EAL) or special educational needs (SEND), adaptive tests have the additional benefit of revealing insights that may not be immediately apparent in the classroom. They also reduce test anxiety since the questions adjust to the test-taker’s ability, students are less likely to feel overwhelmed.

“The advantage of using Cambridge’s primary baseline with bilingual learners, is that it tells us whether students are struggling with language, or if they are struggling with concepts.

We know that non-native speakers might learn more formal words and structures, but the assessment has a difficulty weighting for native and non-native language which is balanced evenly.”

Michelle Ip Banks, YK Pao School, Shanghai

Do adaptive assessments use AI?

The adaptive baseline assessments from Cambridge use algorithms to tailor the testing experience to each individual learner so it seems like AI should be involved. In fact, the Cambridge baseline assessments have been using the adaptive testing algorithm for about 20 years.

The questions and the way they are presented to students have been thoroughly trialled and tested by researchers and developers at Cambridge. Who knows what the future may bring?