FastTest Web, our online leading
edge platform for testing organizations, has released a number of additional
and enhanced functionalities. Visit www.fasttestweb.com
to learn more.
Next up: An interactive
"multi-form assembler" functionality that allows you to easily create
parallel test forms! Moreover, this will be based on a blueprint template
that helps ensure all your test forms meet detailed outline criteria, incluing
content areas, classical statistics, and IRT.
New videos
In November, we will be releasing functionality for Test Sessions, aka Batteries. This functionality will allow you to bundle multiple tests into one examinee sitting, making both the scheduling process and the actual test delivery much more efficient for clients that have multiple tests.
]]>ASC's excellence in the
industry and focus on customer relationships has led to substantial growth, and
we are now searching for candidates in two positions: Account Manager and Java
Developer. The Account Manager should
have experience in the testing industry as well as a mindset for developing
customers. If you are interested, please
visit the job posting here, or forward to your colleagues if you think they might be interested.
ASC upgrades credit card processing system
PCI compliance is an
important issue in e-commerce. In an
effort to provide better security and an enhanced customer experience, ASC has
recently upgraded its credit card processing system. We now use Authorize.net, an internationally
recognized platform with full PCI compliance, so you can feel perfectly safe
when making purchases on our webstore.
Browse the store at http://www.assess.com/xcart/home.php.
New papers published on ASC research page
ASC made three presentations at
the IACAT conference in August: Developing
an Online CAT; CAT, IACAT, and the
Future; and Multiple cutscore computerized classification testing with
the generalized likelihood ratio test. These
have been posted at http://www.assess.com/research.html for those of you not able to attend the
conference. Next year's conference:
Jiaxing, China!
Xcalibre
4.1.8 update provides new functionality
A free update to Xcalibre 4.1.8 has been released. Current users can download the update at our
support page, http://assess.com/xcart/pages.php?pageid=8. If you do not yet use Xcalibre to produce your IRT
reports, you can download a copy at http://assess.com/xcart/product.php?productid=415. The following improvements have been made:
ASC/4ROI
now provide complete one-stop-shop for certification organizations
ASC
has a formal partnership with 4ROI (www.4roi.com), an industry leader
in web-based assessment technology, in providing FastTest Web (www.fasttestweb.com), our best-in-class software for item authoring, test development,
and test delivery. We are currently
integrating a module for examinee registration, payment processing, and scheduling
for our network of testing centers. In
combination with extensive consulting services from our PhD experts in
psychometrics and accreditation, we now provide a comprehensive solution for
certification organizations large and small.
If your organization delivers professional certifications, we encourage
you to contact sales@fasttestweb.com!
New
credential released: Certified Social Media Strategist
ASC
has worked with the National Institute for Social Media (www.nismonline.org) to
develop a landmark credential, the Certified Social Media Strategist. This is the first certification designed
specifically for the explosively growing field of social media. More information is available at http://nismonline.org/standards-for-social-media-education. If your organization is involved in any
social media marketing, please forward this message to relevant personnel!
Important links
FastTest Web - Secure Online Adaptive Testing
Student grants for free software
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ASC has been working with the National Institute for Social Media (www.nismonline.org) to develop a landmark credential, the Certified Social Media Strategist. This is the first quality certification designed specifically for the explosively growing field of social media. More information is available at http://nismonline.org/standards-for-social-media-education. If your organization is involved in any social media marketing, please forward this message to relevant personnel!
Lertap 5 Updates
The 10th edition of Lertap 5 has been released for users with Excel 2010. It features improvements to all of its statistical reports, and also to many of its charts. The companion help system ("Lelp") has been extensively revised, with direct links to it now appearing on almost all of Lertap's Excel screens, making it much easier to get immediate assistance with the interpretation of Lertap output. Read more here: http://assess.com/xcart/product.php?productid=3. Lertap 5 for Excel 2011 on Macintosh computers has been brought up to date, with a fully-functional 30-day trial ready for downloading. Write to l.nelson@curtin.edu.au for more information. (Lertap 5 is distributed exclusively by ASC on behalf of Curtin University, Western Australia.)
Book liquidation - 50% off all books!
ASC has an extensive inventory of books that is now being liquidated at 50% off. Topics include psychometrics, assessment, factor analysis, and quantitative methods. Visit http://www.assess.com/xcart/home.php?cat=2 to see our current inventory - when you check out, use the coupon code BOOKS-50 to receive the discount. Offer ends August 31. We currently ship via FedEx - if you prefer postal mail to potentially reduce the shipping cost, let us know. Also note that we provide grants (http://www.assess.com/xcart/pages.php?pageid=9) to graduate students to cover the cost of books.
IACAT conference held in Sydney, Australia
The International Association for Computerized Adaptive Testing held its annual conference this August in Sydney, Australia. The conference was quite a success, with excellent content and a wide range of countries represented. Thank you to John Barnard of EPEC (www.epecat.com) for putting together such a fine program and to the Australian Medical Council for hosting. Next year's conference is planned for Jiaxing University in China, just outside Shanghai. Watch www.iacat.org for more information.
New ASC Website
To reflect ASC's growing stature in the testing industry, we have released a new website that better reflects our new role as a comprehensive, world-class testing organization. In addition to massively expanding our psychometric software capabilities, we now offer full consulting services, a network of secure testing centers, and software to completely manage the entire assessment process. Check out the new site at www.assess.com! We have also upgraded our new webstore (shopping cart system) and added a sleek, modern layout to be more customer-friendly; visit the store at http://www.assess.com/xcart/home.php. In addition, we are in the process of integrating Google Wallet functionality for enhanced credit card security and convenience.
ASC presents workshop to SADC in Botswana
ASC presented a workshop on item response theory (IRT) and computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to member countries of the Southern African Development Council. The workshop took place March 4-9 in Botswana, and provided five days of background and hands-on instruction regarding the application of these modern methods to solving issues in educational assessment, with a focus on ASC's landmark software, Iteman 4 and Xcalibre 4. Such a combination of ASC's consulting services and leading-edge software can help your organization move to the next level; contact solutions@assess.com to learn more.
FastTEST Web updates
FastTest Web (FTW), our platform for item authoring and internet-based assessment, is being upgraded almost continually to stay at the forefront of testing technology. In March, we released functionality that allows tests to be published as a public link, ideal for low stakes exams or pilot testing, as an alternative to the high-security registration process currently in place. This approach is integrated with new functionality for managing demographic information on examinees; you can request that examinees enter such information before starting the test. Additionally, we rebuilt the item authoring tool to be more user-friendly and WYSIWYG. As always, we've also released a number of small enhancements. The next major release will include an advanced Asset Manager for multimedia and the capability for testlets, groups of items that share a reading passage or other common stimulus.
Xcalibre 4 updated
ASC's cutting-edge software for item response theory has been substantially updated. This is a free update for current license holders, and includes several bug fixes as well as improved functionality:
Current users can upgrade at our support page; new users can download a free version here. Don't forget that graduate students can obtain free licenses from the APM student grants program!
CATSim updated
CATSim, the software that provides the research necessary for computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has also been upgraded. The update focuses primarily on bug fixes. Current users can upgrade for free at our support page; new users can download a free version here.
ASC to present at 2012 SIOP Conference
ASC will present a mini-workshop on the development of computerized adaptive tests (CATs) at the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP) conference. The session is scheduled for 1:30 P.M. on Friday, April 27. More information is available at the SIOP website. Please join us and learn about our CAT solutions and assessments!
Here are some brief updates and news for February 2012...
ASC to conduct IRT/CAT Workshop in Botswana - 15 seats open!
ASC will be conducting an applied workshop on item response theory (IRT) and computerized adaptive testing (CAT), March 5-9 at the Grand Palm resort in Gaborone, Botswana. The workshop is hosted by the Botswana Examinations Council for the benefit of countries in the South African Development Community (SADC). Approximately 15 seats remain open for researchers and practitioners from Africa. The cost is approximately $275; participants are responsible for their travel and lodging expenses. If you are interested in attending, please email solutions@assess.com.
CATSim update
CATSim, the essential program for CAT simulation research, is now available as Version 1.0.6. Changes include (1) when the classification termination option is used, a new table reports all examinee classifications in addition to the "high-confidence" classifications, and the examinee report differentiates between the two types of classifications; (2) with variable termination and constraints, a new termination type reports that examinees exhausted the item bank before other termination options were reached; and (3) an error using the graded response model with "reversed" item parameters was fixed. Current license holders can download the no-cost update from http://www.assess.com/xcart/pages.php?pageid=10. If you do not yet have CATSim, a free demo version is available at http://www.assess.com/xcart/product.php?productid=555.
Tech Report: Comparison of Xcalibre 4 and BILOG-MG
A technical report was recently released which provides a comparison of Xcalibre 4 and BILOG-MG, the world's two leading software programs for item response theory (IRT) analysis. The two are compared in terms of parameter recovery, which is an appropriate methodology to evaluate the accuracy of IRT parameter estimates. For the majority of conditions studied, Xcalibre 4 produced more accurate calibrations. A full copy of the report is at http://www.assess.com/research.php.
FastTEST Web implements powerful new lockdown browser
FastTEST Web, the world's most advanced system for internet-based item banking and test delivery, has implemented a new "lockdown" delivery system, WebLock. WebLock is a special browser that greatly enhances test security by 1) preventing the examinee from accessing any internet sites, 2) preventing the examinee from accessing any information/programs on their computer, and 3) checking for specific software that is a security concern, such as screen-capture programs. These advantages make it ideal for high-security tests in fields like education, certification, and employment. Moreover, this is in addition to other important FTW security advantages like role-based access, examinee passwords, and the use of an internal adaptive testing engine. Learn more at http://www.fasttestweb.com/secure-online-testing.php.