Appendix C

Sample assessment task-Diagnostic assessment

This type of assessment would allow one to investigate the cognitive and technical proficiencies underlying particular ICT components. On the surface, the Diagnostic Assessment would look exactly like the assessment of ICT Components. Only if and when test takers had difficulty with a component task would they see new types of tasks designed to assess underlying cognitive and technical skills.

The results of this kind of assessment could be used in a variety of ways:

• The assessment could provide an overall score of a person's ICT, cognitive and technical proficiency.
• A more detailed score reporting system might be developed that profiled specific strengths and weaknesses that an individual demonstrated.
• Links to existing or specially developed instructional materials could be provided to help teachers in education or training settings.
• Based on a person's performance, targeted instructional goals and suggestions on how best to reach those goals could be made available.

Just like in the ICT Component assessment, a number of scenarios in different contexts would be presented. One sample scenario, developed in a health context, is shown below.

Opening scenario (Health context)

Following a stroke, your mother has been diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, or a hole in one section of her heart. While not an emergency, her doctor has recommended open-heart surgery to repair the hole and reduce the risk of additional strokes. You would like to find several reliable sources on the Web that recommend treatment options for this condition.