Sample interview questions: Can you explain the process of item banking and how it can enhance the efficiency of assessment development?
Sample answer:
Item banking is a systematic process used in assessment development that involves the storage, organization, and management of test items or questions. These items are carefully crafted to measure specific aspects of an individual’s knowledge, skills, or abilities. The process of item banking has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to enhance the efficiency of assessment development.
The first step in item banking is the construction of high-quality test items. Psychometricians, as professionals with expertise in measurement and assessment, play a critical role in this process. They carefully design items that align with the intended constructs being assessed and ensure that they possess appropriate difficulty levels, item format, and content coverage.
Once the items are developed, they are stored in a secure database, known as an item bank. This item bank serves as a repository for all the test items, organized according to various parameters such as content area, difficulty level, item type, and cognitive complexity. Each item is accompanied by detailed metadata, including information on item statistics, item writers, and item reviews.
The item bank allows for efficient item selection and test assembly. Psychometricians can utilize sophisticated algorithms to select subsets of items from the item bank that form a valid and reliable assessment. These algorithms consider various factors such as item difficulty, discrimination, and content coverage to create a balanced and effective test. The process of item selection can be automated, saving time and effort in assessment development.
Furthermore, item banking enables the ongoing evaluation and maintenance of test items. Psychometricians regularly analyze item statistics, such as item difficulty and discrimination indices, to identify problematic items that may need revision or removal. This continuous monitoring ensures that the assessment remains up-to-date, rel… Read full answer