Chapter 6: A Noncompensatory Testlet Model For Calibrating Innovative Items Embedded In Multiple Contexts:

In the last decade, learning objectives and the medium for item presentation are undergoing dramatic changes. Learning is becoming increasingly tied to technology and learning objectives are becoming more focused on higher-order thinking skills. The 21st century skills and competencies and the Common Core state standards both advocate noncognitive competencies in addition to academic content knowledge and skills. Specifically, the 21st Century Competencies (Soland, Hamilton, & Stecher, 2013) emphasize broader categories of competencies including cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal competencies. Cognitive competencies are related to the core academic content mastery in math, science, language arts, foreign languages, history, geography, and the basis for higher-order thinking skills (Soland, Hamilton, & Stecher, 2013). Further, it highlights critical thinking such as that discussed in the papers by (Facione, Sanchez, Facione, & Gainen, 1995) in terms of inductive and deductive reasoning, making correct analyses, inferences, and evaluations and demonstrating creativity (Jackson & Messick, 1965). Noncognitive skills or competencies including interpersonal competencies such as communication and collaboration, leadership, and global awareness and intrapersonal competencies such as growth mindset, learning how to learn, intrinsic motivation, and grit are further emphasized. These competencies are also considered as the future for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2012).