Reimagining Assessment for the Age of AI with Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS

The global landscape of education and work is changing at a pace that requires an entirely new approach to measurement. Trending in Education host Mike Palmer welcomes Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS (Educational Testing Service), the organization responsible for millions of assessments worldwide, to discuss the high-stakes transformation of how we identify talent.

We explore how the trillion-dollar education sector is struggling to measure outcomes and why reliable data is essential to driving progress. Amit details the foundational work ETS is doing across K-12, higher education, and the workforce to shift the focus from traditional testing to competency-based learning and work-ready skills. We dive deep into the urgency of establishing an AI literacy framework and how technology is powering a new era of "test-less" performance assessments.

Why You Should Listen Now:

• The War for AI Talent: Amit explains why the lack of a common AI literacy framework is a strategic challenge for the U.S. and how other nations are already standardizing AI education for young children.

• The Crisis of Underemployment: We break down the alarming statistics showing high unemployment and underemployment for new college graduates, highlighting the massive societal and economic pressure to measure job-relevant skills.

• The Future of Measurement: We get an inside look at how ETS is using AI, data science, and neuroscience to create innovative, personalized assessments that track complex skills like collaboration and communication—moving beyond the multiple-choice bubble sheet.

3 Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:

• AI Literacy is a New Language: We must introduce the fundamentals of AI to pre-elementary and elementary students to hardwire it as a first language, similar to English or Spanish.

• Data is the "New Oil": ETS produces over 5 billion data points annually, representing an amazing opportunity to reimagine products and drive social value through technology.

• The Two-by-Two of Transformation: The future of assessment is moving to measure both emerging skills (like AI and durable skills) and using innovative measurement methods (like performance and AI-enabled assessments).

Join us to understand how better measurement is the key to unlocking human potential globally.

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00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:13 Amit Sevak's Origin Story

03:28 Joining ETS and the Importance of Measurement

05:47 ETS's Role in Education and Assessment

11:35 Innovations in Testing and AI Integration

12:43 Global Trends and Workforce Development

16:32 The Future of AI Literacy and Skills Measurement

28:31 Global Perspectives on Education and Leadership

34:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts