Interest Assessment Using New Technology

The benefits of computer-assisted assessment via the Internet are well known in interest assessment as it relates information access. Individuals can use their assessment scores to easily access a wealth of career and major information. However, computer-assisted assessment also enables a unique assessment experience for each individual. Typically, this unique experience is incorporated in the input of the assessment, that is, the specific items that each individual is given. Based on their responses to items, the users are given different subsequent items (as in item response testing) or different content as in branching programs. However, the computer-assisted programs do not use their capability in providing unique information to the test users based on responses. This focus on individually tailored assessment output, or the unique profiles provided to each individual based on the responses, is exemplified using the Personal Globe Inventory (PGI).