Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment for Education
Theory and Applications

A self-contained examination of the latest research on cognitive diagnostic assessment in education.

Jacqueline Leighton (Edited by), Mark Gierl (Edited by)

9780521865494, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 May 2007

384 pages
23.5 x 15.6 x 3.2 cm, 0.628 kg

"Leighton and Gierl make a solid contribution by outlining how protocol analysis and verbal reports can be used to gather systematic information on how examinees think about and solve the tasks that appear on tests...This book is an excellent example of the work under way in educational measurement and psychometrics to address the challenges of educational improvement...The collective work presented in this book inspires hope and gives us every reason to take heart that the diagnostic challenge in education is very much on!"
Howard t. Everson, PsycCritiques

With the current push toward educational reform, there is great potential for innovation and change, particularly in large scale testing. One area where change is possible is in cognitive diagnostic assessment. Researchers in educational measurement and cognitive psychology are finally in a position to design tests targeted specifically for providing valuable information about students' cognitive strengths and weaknesses. This self-contained volume organizes what is known about cognitive diagnostic assessment in education, including its conceptual and philosophical basis, methods, and applications. The complete list of topics includes educational demand, philosophical rationale, construct validity, cognitive methods, test construction, statistical models, and unresolved issues (e.g., how to best translate diagnostic information into teaching practices). Leighton and Gierl present a comprehensive and up-to-date examination of cognitive diagnostic assessment in education.

Preface
Part I. The Basis of Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment: 1. Defining cognitive diagnostic assessment in education Jacqueline P. Leighton and Mark J. Gierl
2. The demand for diagnostic testing Kristen Huff
3. Philosophical rationale for cognitive models Stephen Norris
4. Cognitive psychology as it applies to diagnostic assessment Robert J. Mislevy
5. Construct validity and diagnostic testing Susan Umbretson
Part II. Methods and Application of Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment: 6. Cognitive models and diagnostic assessment Jacqueline P. Leighton
7. Test construction Joanna Gorin
8. The attribute hierarchy method Mark J. Gierl, Jacqueline P. Leighton, and Steve Hunka
9. The fusion model as implemented with ARPEGGIO William Stout
10. Score reporting
Part III. The Future of Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment: 11. Unresolved issues in cognitive diagnostic assessment
12. Summary and conclusion Mark J. Gierl and Jacqueline P. Leighton.

Subject Areas: Educational psychology [JNC], Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR], Psychological testing & measurement [JMBT]