The Development of Modern Test Theory and Its Application in China

Modern test theory,represented by generalizability theory(GT) and item response theory(IRT),were developed based on it's overcame the deficiency of classical test theory.GT consists of a conceptual framework and a methodology that enable an investigator to disentangle multiple sources of error in a measurement procedure.It was originally introduced by Cronbach and colleagues in response to limitations of classical reliability theory.The development of GT has two stages which were univariate generalizability theory(UGT) and multivariate generalizabiliity theory(MGT).Now the applications of GT were mainly focus in three domains,evaluation,examination and scaling.The development of IRT,in which the item parameters has no varieties but does in CTT,has three stages,early theoretical exploration,theory initially formed and its gradually perfect.The functions of IRT were to deal with score equating and item parameters,to analyze the quality of test and item,to peel off the effects of rater's characters on measurement,to exam item function difference and to develop adaption test.