eAssessment for 21st Century Learning and Skills

Abstract

In the past, eAssessment focused on increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of test administration; improving the validity and reliability of test scores; and making a greater range of test formats susceptible to automatic scoring. Despite the variety of computer-enhanced test formats, eAssessment strategies have been firmly grounded in a traditional paradigm, based on the explicit testing of knowledge. There is a growing awareness that this approach is less suited to capturing "Key Competences" and "21 st century skills". Based on a review of the literature, this paper argues that, though there are still technological challenges, the more pressing task is to transcend the testing paradigm and conceptually develop (e)Assessment strategies that foster the development of 21 st century skills.