University of Twente, Faculty Educational Science and Technology
Abstract
A method is described for simultaneous test construction using the Operations Research technique zero-one programming. The model for zero-one programming consists of two parts. The first contains the objective function that describes the aspect to be optimized. The second part contains the constraints under which the objective function should be optimized. The selection of items is based on information from item response theory. Simultaneous test design is used when tests have to be constructed so that there is a certain relationship between them. Two examples of simultaneous test construction are presented. The construction of two parallel tests is considered, and designs of three tests that should measure best at successive parts of the ability scale are described. Examples were carried out using an item bank of 10 items chosen at random. The sequential construction of the same series of tests was compared. The examples illustrate that the tests constructed using simultaneous techniques best fit the intentions of the test constructor
