The Promises and Challenges of Implementing Evidence-Centered Design in Large-Scale Assessment

Abstract

The cornerstone of evidence-centered assessment design (ECD) is an evidentiary argument that requires that each target of measurement (e.g., learning goal) for an assessment be expressed as a claim to be made about an examinee that is relevant to the specific purpose and audience(s) for the assessment. The observable evidence required to warrant each claim is also articulated. In turn, the claims and evidence shape the design of assessment opportunities for students to demonstrate what they have learned, whether that opportunity is a classroom activity or a multiple-choice item on a high-stakes assessment. Once identified, the characteristics of these assessment opportunities are referred to as task models, each capable of generating multiple assessment tasks. Taken together, the claims, evidence, and task models constitute the evidentiary argument. The benefits and challenges of implementing ECD in the Advanced Placement Program are addressed.