Pre-training Assessment Through the Web

Web-based training is growing quickly in popularit y for professionals in industrial organizations and large enterprises. The savings in cost and time are significant. The instructor-led trainings are bounded by time and place, not to mention the cost involved in traveling, accommodation and training venue. However, in the most online training courses, all trainees are given same training materials and teaching paradigms. The problem of differentia ting the trainees’ abilities is the main concern. We need a pre-training test t o identify and classify of the weaknesses and strengths of differentiate trainee s so as to devise an appropriate training programs for the trainees. Adaptation of a Web-based Computer adaptive Test (CAT) for the pre-training test make the web-based training more efficient. The advantages of CAT are self-pacing, eff iciency, time and cost saving, immediate scoring and feedback, accuracy and secu rity, etc (Rudner, 1998; UMN, 1999; Novell, 2000; Linacre, 2000; Windowsglore, 2 000). Moreover, Web-based CAT also gives greater flexibility and convenience. T his paper describes how this CAT tool is built, how it helps instructor identify the strengths and weaknesses of trainees, and how to assure quality on the CAT system.

Web-based training is growing quickly in popularit y for professionals in industrial organizations and large enterprises. The savings in cost and time are significant. The instructor-led trainings are bounded by time and place, not to mention the cost involved in traveling, accommodation and training venue. However, in the most online training courses, all trainees are given same training materials and teaching paradigms. The problem of differentia ting the trainees abilities is the main concern. We n...