Computerized Adaptive Testing Applied in Educational Evaluations

Abstract

Advances in technology have contributed to increase the efficiency of the evaluation on teaching-learning process with the use of Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). These tests adapt the evaluation to the respondent's knowledge level and they present several advantages over the conventional tests, called paper and pencil (P&P), especially for programs implementing long tests, such as Exame Nacional do Ensino Medio - Enem (National High School Exam). Thus, this article aims to present the advantages of the CAT and compare them with the scores obtained from P&P tests for the "Mathematics and its Technologies" area from Enem 2012, which consists of 45 items. For this, a simulation was carried out with real data. The P&P scores were divided into intervals for better analyze the accuracy and define CAT length. We obtained a length of 33 items for CAT, which leads to a reduction of at least 26.6% in test length and hence reduce the test time and the respondents' fatigue. We also present a analysis of the items used.