THE UNIT OF ANALYSIS FOR SITUATED ASSESSMENT

We begin with a discussion of contemporary approaches to assessment hi ghlighting their reliance on a static, linear model of knowledgeable p erformance. Next we describe an ecological psychology approach to prob lem solving. Then, we propose the adoption of an agent-environment int eraction as the unit of analysis. We continue by describing the proble m-solving process from an ecological psychology perspective, to clarif y the ''intentional unit''. We close with a discussion of functional v alidity, the value added by access to assessment information during th e problem-solving process.