Generative Adaptive Testing with Digit Span Items

The feasibility of generating items in real-time for computerized adaptive testing is explored, using forward digit span as an exemplar. A sample of 531 recruits at the Naval Training Center in San Diego were administered 36 computer-generated forward digit span items of varying lengths. Calibrations showed that the item difficulty was a simple linear function of the number of digits in the item, thus making the difficulty of newly generated items predictable. Simulations of Computerized adaptive testing with the approach were conducted with favorable results.