Abstract
Technical advances provide the possibility of capturing timing and process data as test takers solve digital problems in computer-based assessments. The data collected in log files, which represent information beyond response data (i.e., correct/incorrect), are particularly valuable when examining interactive problem-solving tasks to identify the step-by-step problem-solving processes used by individual respondents. In this chapter, we present an exploratory study that used cluster analysis to investigate the relationship between behavioral patterns and proficiency estimates as well as employment-based background variables. Specifically, with a focus on the sample from the United States, we drew on a set of background variables related to employment status and process data collected from one problem-solving item in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to address two research questions: (1) What do respondents in each cluster have in common regarding their behavioral patterns and backgrounds? (2) Is problem-solving proficiency related with respondents’ behavioral patterns? Significant differences in problem-solving proficiency were found among clusters based on process data, especially when focusing on the group not solving the problem correctly. The results implied that different problem-solving strategies and behavioral patterns were related to proficiency estimates. What respondents did when not solving digital tasks correct was more influential to their problem-solving proficiency than what they did when getting them correct. These results helped us understand the relationship between sequences of actions and proficiency estimates in large-scale assessments and held the promise of further improving the accuracy of problem-solving proficiency estimates.
Highlights
The use of computers as an assessment delivery platform enables the development of new and innovative item types, such as interactive scenario-based items, and the collection of a broader range of information, including timing data and information about the processes that test takers engage in when completing assessment tasks (He and von Davier 2016)
PIAAC is the first international household survey of skills predominantly collected using information and communication technologies (ICT) in a core assessment domain: Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments (PSTRE)
With a focus on the sample from the United States, we drew on a set of background variables related to employment status and process data collected from one PSTRE item in PIAAC to address two research questions: (1) What do respondents in each cluster have in common regarding their behavioral patterns and backgrounds? (2) Is problem-solving proficiency consistent across clusters, or in other words, is problem-solving proficiency related to respondents’ behavioral patterns?
Summary
The use of computers as an assessment delivery platform enables the development of new and innovative item types, such as interactive scenario-based items, and the collection of a broader range of information, including timing data and information about the processes that test takers engage in when completing assessment tasks (He and von Davier 2016). The data collected in log files, which are unique to computerbased assessments, provide information beyond response data (i.e., correct/incorrect) that is usually referred to as process data Such information is valuable when examining interactive problem-solving tasks to identify the step-by-step problem-solving processes used by individual respondents. Evidence has shown that process data captured in PSTRE items provide a deeper insight into the cognitive processes used by respondents when they are solving digital tasks (e.g., Goldhammer et al 2014; Liao et al 2019; Chen et al 2019) This additional information helps us understand the strategies that underlie proficient performance and holds the promise of better identifying behavioral patterns by subgroups, helping us seek solutions for teaching essential problem-solving skills to adults with particular needs (He and von Davier 2015, 2016)
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