Path-Referenced Assessment: A Guide for Instructional Management

Path-referenced assessment is considered as an innovative attempt to move closer to the sought-after goal of making assessment directly relevant to instructional concerns of all learners including the handicapped. The technology of this rapidly developing form of assessment allows determination to be made about educational progress of learners resulting from instruction. In this article, the nature of path-referenced assessment is described, its relationships to instructional management is delineated, and how path-referenced assessment relates to adaptive measurement systems is considered.