Title: Automatic Content Scoring of Free-Text Responses

Time: Wednesday, September 15, 2010, 11 am

Location: Room S2|02|E202 (Hochschulstr. 10)

Speaker: Dr. Jana Sukkarieh

Abstract

In recent years assessments have been criticized for a number of reasons. One of the reasons is assessments test superficial understanding due to their over reliance on multiple-choice items. Accordingly, these criticisms have prompted researchers, educators and policymakers to demand the development of item types that value the use of constructed response (CR) or free-text responses over traditional multiple-choice items. While CR items may reveal deeper aspects of student learning, these items are often expensive to score, particularly in a large-scale setting. This concern has prompted researchers to investigate the feasibility of developing automated approaches for scoring CR items. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the most recent techniques used for automatic content scoring concentrating on c-rater®, the Educational Testing Service’s (ETS) technology for short CR content scoring. I will report about the use of c-rater scoring on test items administered in schools in Maine and Massachusetts, USA.