The assessment of human performance is not a new phenomenon. We have evidence that people have been required to prove their worth dating back at least to the Epic of Gilgamesh. What has changed, at least on a large scale, is the importance given to quantitative evidence in the evaluation process. For example, many employers have begun subjecting applicants to pre-employment screenings that include personality tests and emotional intelligence evaluations - all in the interest of finding the right 'fit' for a particular job. Another fairly recent extension, and the primary impetus of this project, is the use of student assessment to evaluate teachers and schools. The high stakes applied to assessments of this sort present a number of challenges--particularly related to the interpretation of the data. There is already a large body of research that considers these challenges within the traditional conceptions of human performance assessment, but there is still no widely accepted resolution. As such, this project considers the potential for a solution in a new conception of human performance assessment--specifically one grounded in the semiotic theory of C.S. Peirce. Because this is, to my knowledge, the first project to consider the application of a Peircean metatheory, my goal is simply to lay a strong foundation upon which later research can build. To that end, I believe this project accomplishes four tasks. First, I justify the project by demonstrating that my interpretations and applications of Peirce's work align with the work of Peirce scholars in other fields. Second, I provide a basic introduction to the key concepts and structures of Peircean semiotic necessary for understanding and evaluating this project's claims related to the construction and application of a semiotic-based system for the assessment of human performance. Third, I determine how constructs for assessment founded on Peircean semiotics would differ in both structure and application than their counterparts in more traditional assessment--in this case I focus on reliability and validity. Finally, I establish the potential that this metatheory has for practical applications. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
