New Trends in Digital Technology-Based Psychological and Educational Assessment.

Background: The emergence of digital technology in the field of psychological and educational measurement and assessment broadens the traditional concept of pencil and paper tests. New assessment models built on the proliferation of smartphones, social networks and software developments are opening up new horizons in the field.

Method: This study is divided into four sections, each discussing the benefits and limitations of a specific type of technology-based assessment: ambulatory assessment, social networks, gamification and forced-choice testing.

Results: The latest developments are clearly relevant in the field of psychological and educational measurement and assessment. Among other benefits, they bring greater ecological validity to the assessment process and eliminate the bias associated with retrospective assessment.

Conclusions: Some of these new approaches point to a multidisciplinary scenario with a tradition which has yet to be created. Psychometrics must secure a place in this new world by contributing sound expertise in the measurement of psychological variables. The challenges and debates facing the field of psychology as it incorporates these new approaches are also discussed.