Recent advances in technology and nearly two decades of research into how students learn have come together in a series of programs that could represent the future of assessment.

Developed by researcher Mogens Jensen, these online programs reportedly can map a student's behavior, both mentally and emotionally, and then suggest a highly customized solution for growth as the student develops academically.

In effect, the programs aim to pinpoint how each student's mind processes information, then prescribe a solution that is targeted specifically to the individual.

The programs grew out of Jensen's theory of "mediated constructivism"--in layman's terms, the idea that all the cognitive and motivational tendencies associated with a learner can be developed with the help of teachers, parents, mediators, coaches, and guides who are aware of that student's culture, as well as his or her mental and emotional proclivities.

This process is the basis for what Jensen calls "mediated learning experiences," or experiences the student must have to "learn how to learn."

Putting his theories into practice, Jensen--who received his doctorate in psychology from Yale University--founded the International Center for Mediated Learning (ICML) and developed MindLadder, a family of online programs.

The programs allow educators, parents, and administrators to work together as a team to help each student reach his or her full learning potential, Jensen says.

The first step is to discover how teachers can best reach a particular student both mentally and emotionally. To do this, a teacher (or someone else who knows the student well) fills out the first resource in the MindLadder solution--the LearningGuide.

The LearningGuide is best described as a snapshot of a student's mind, Jensen said. It identifies both target areas in need of investment and strengths that can support growth and change.

The guide begins with background questions about the student's general behavior, because Jensen believes that "context makes a difference." For example, the questions might ask if the teacher has had any concerns about the student or has noticed any recent changes in the student's behavior.