Hidden treasures: Uncovering task solving processes in dynamic testing

Abstract

When questions arise

regarding a child’s cognitive functioning, often traditional, static tests are

utilized to evaluate the child’s cognitive abilities. However, these static

tests are said to provide limited information about possible reasons for success or failure on the test. The primary goal of this dissertation was to investigate what information could be obtained through the use of process-oriented dynamic testing. This type of testing aims to make an estimate of a child’s learning potential, through the provision of training or feedback within the testing procedure, and evaluates the task solving processes a child uses. Additionally, this dissertation focused on the specific properties of a new computer automated method to obtain a picture of the task solving processes children employed, by analysing the grouping of answer pieces. The findings of this dissertation stated that process-oriented dynamic testing provides valuable information as an addition to the performance of a child and that it can provide information about the effects of training on the processes children employ during task solving. The different process measures that were utilized in this dissertation all seemed to measure different aspects of the task solving process.