A knowledge Assessment Tool for Complex Cognitive Skills

Today's workforce requires higher skill levels than ever before. This necessitates effective training technologies. A key component of the training process is assessing trainee performance and critical learning needs. Traditional assessment tools have been criticized as measuring test taking skills more than problem solving skills. A number of approaches have been developed to address this weakness by measuring performance in practical problem solving. Unfortunately, these typically suffer a lack of a good underlying model of performance knowledge or utilize one that has an overreliance on procedural knowledge and de-emphasizes underlying grasp of concept relevant to problem solving. Research Development Corporation proposes to develop cognitively-based assessment tools that are based on a validated assessment model we created and is currently being used in a New Jersey school district. Our assessment model utilizes performance assessment techniques to measure problem solving skills and question and answer techniques to probe concept mastery and areas requiring remediation. The proposed work will benefit from considerable technical accomplishments on previous projects, thus reducing risk in our proposed effort. In Phase I, we will develop a proof-of-concept assessment tool for a domain of the Navy's choosing and demonstrate its validity. In Phase II we will develop knowledge engineering and test authoring tools to allow the Navy to develop and validate aseessments for domains of its choosing.