Critical Moments in Research and Use of Assessment

Abstract

This article attempts to show the interplay among the scholarly and practical perspectives and to mark major changes in the way assessment has been viewed, used, and interpreted by its various constituencies. Genius seems to have inspired the original focus of Theory Into Practice (TIP), positioned on the edge of research scholarship and usable, practical knowledge (Baker, 2009; Hargreaves, 2004). The nature of transition from theory to practice is of particular interest when considering assessment. To that end, the article begins by addressing the relationship of research to development and practice in general, with evident implications for assessment. After a pause for definitions, we linger in the early periods to identify major ideas of continued influence on assessment research and practice even until today. The article closes with a summary of the prospects for testing and assessment in the near future, touching briefly on technology, and using as context issues from earlier decades to pose a series of unresolved questions.