Dr. John Lee has been a Research Scientist for CRESST since 1999 and holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from UCLA. His current research focuses on technology-based assessments in a variety of military and civilian contexts with projects that involve the assessment of skills and competencies in many domains, including tactics planning and implementation, damage control, engineering, and shiphandling for the U.S. Navy, and in various skills in public education including teamwork and ultrasonography. His main research interests are in automated assessment of complex skills using ontologies and probabilistic inference models, and computer-based assessments in the public education area.

Through funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Dr. Lee’s current work is related to assessing decay of knowledge and skills of the fire controlman (FC) A-School graduates at the Great Lakes Naval Station.  He has worked with the Navy’s Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) in Newport, Rhode Island, on the development and deployment of a computer-based assessment tool for assessment of Tactical Action Officers (TAO) in a simulated Combat Information Center (CIC) onboard Navy ships called the Multi-Mission Tactical Trainer (MMTT). He is also working on simulation-based assessment projects related to the assessment of complex skills (damage control and shiphandling) using Bayesian networks for real-time and after-action assessment of skills. His current work on the shiphandling Automated Assessment Engine (AAE) involves the following skills when conning a guided missile destroyer (DDG): (1) Mooring to a pier, (2) UNREP: Underway Replenishment, (3) Getting underway from a pier, and (4) Harbor transit. He has also been involved with the collection and analysis of Fleet Surveys from Department Head graduates and their commanding officers, relating to how well the schoolhouse prepared them and what potential changes or improvements are needed. A current project involves the assessment of Engineering Plant Technicians (EPTs) onboard Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), utilizing additional sensory input and feedback devices developed by Anthrotronix, Inc.

For public education, Dr. Lee is involved with the ELPA21 Item Metadata Database and associated efforts.  He is also working on projects with the UCLA School of Medicine’s simulation center related to assessment of teamwork skills, and with the assessment of ultrasound skills for Pelagique, Inc.  His past work with Smarter Balanced was related to the Implementation Readiness Package (IRP), where assessment delivery vendors can test their software for readiness to administer and accurately report results of the Smarter Balanced interim and summative assessments. He also worked on the Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAP) Web-Based Tool, which helps set up the appropriate designated supports and accommodations for students (where needed). Dr. Lee was also involved in the Accessible Rendered Item (ARI) format specification, which helps to standardize rendering on various testing platforms and browsers, and allows for more interactive-type items, with the potential for simulations and games in the future.