ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a research project to develop an assessment of statistical thinking as part of a broader effort to measure important skills needed for success in college. Utilizing the Bear Assessment System (BAS) and associated software, this project employs the four-building block approach to assessment development which begins with developing construct maps to describe the learning progression of a construct and moves to items design, outcome space definition, and selection of a measurement model. Statistical thinking is characterized by three elements: producing and selecting data, summarizing data, and decision making based on data. The BAS system allows for a variety of item types, including game and simulation scenarios, and the scoring module incorporates machine scoring and learning analytics. This project enables the assessment of students' statistical thinking skills in a variety of ways which are less demanding and more creative than traditional multiple-choice responses such as games and simulations.
