Assessing Complex Problem Solving in the Classroom: Meeting Challenges and Opportunities

At the time when complex problem solving was established as a key aspect of today’s educational curricula and a central competence of international assessment frameworks like PISA, it became evident that the educational context places special demands on assessment instruments used for this purpose. In this chapter, we show how these challenges can successfully be addressed by reviewing recent advancements in the field of complex problem solving. We use the example of the Genetics Lab, a newly developed and psychometrically sound microworld which emphasizes usability and acceptance amongst students, to discuss challenges and opportunities of assessing complex problem solving in the classroom.