diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/capa_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/capa_module.py
index d186bcc39c..8e2d12d5e9 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/capa_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/capa_module.py
@@ -509,6 +509,9 @@ class CapaModule(XModule):
         event_info['success'] = success
         self.system.track_function('save_problem_check', event_info)
 
+	if hasattr(self.system,'psychometrics_handler'):	# update PsychometricsData using callback
+		self.system.psychometrics_handler(self.get_instance_state())
+
         # render problem into HTML
         html = self.get_problem_html(encapsulate=False)
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
index 88368c4a80..b033660c17 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from capa.xqueue_interface import XQueueInterface
 from courseware.access import has_access
 from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 from models import StudentModule, StudentModuleCache
+from psychometrics.psychoanalyze import make_psychometrics_data_update_handler
 from static_replace import replace_urls
 from xmodule.errortracker import exc_info_to_str
 from xmodule.exceptions import NotFoundError
@@ -230,6 +231,9 @@ def _get_module(user, request, location, student_module_cache, course_id, positi
     # pass position specified in URL to module through ModuleSystem
     system.set('position', position)
     system.set('DEBUG', settings.DEBUG)
+    if settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('ENABLE_PSYCHOMETRICS') and instance_module is not None:
+        system.set('psychometrics_handler',		# set callback for updating PsychometricsData
+                   make_psychometrics_data_update_handler(instance_module))
 
     try:
         module = descriptor.xmodule_constructor(system)(instance_state, shared_state)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py
index f4e9c27991..74f186b689 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from django.views.decorators.cache import cache_control
 from courseware import grades
 from courseware.access import has_access, get_access_group_name
 from courseware.courses import (get_course_with_access, get_courses_by_university)
+from psychometrics import psychoanalyze
 from student.models import UserProfile
 
 from student.models import UserTestGroup, CourseEnrollment
@@ -51,7 +52,18 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
     instructor_access = has_access(request.user, course, 'instructor')   # an instructor can manage staff lists
 
     msg = ''
-    # msg += ('POST=%s' % dict(request.POST)).replace('<','&lt;')
+    #msg += ('POST=%s' % dict(request.POST)).replace('<','&lt;')
+
+    problems = []
+    plots = []
+
+    # the instructor dashboard page is modal: grades, psychometrics, admin
+    # keep that state in request.session (defaults to grades mode)
+    idash_mode = request.POST.get('idash_mode','')
+    if idash_mode:
+        request.session['idash_mode'] = idash_mode
+    else:
+        idash_mode = request.session.get('idash_mode','Grades')
 
     def escape(s):
         """escape HTML special characters in string"""
@@ -149,6 +161,9 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
         track.views.server_track(request, 'dump-answer-dist-csv', {}, page='idashboard')
         return return_csv('answer_dist_%s.csv' % course_id, get_answers_distribution(request, course_id))
 
+    #----------------------------------------
+    # Admin
+
     elif 'List course staff' in action:
         group = get_staff_group(course)
         msg += 'Staff group = %s' % group.name
@@ -187,13 +202,28 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
             user.groups.remove(group)
             track.views.server_track(request, 'remove-staff %s' % user, {}, page='idashboard')
 
-    # For now, mostly a static page
+    #----------------------------------------
+    # psychometrics
+
+    elif action == 'Generate Histogram and IRT Plot':
+        problem = request.POST['Problem']
+        nmsg, plots = psychoanalyze.generate_plots_for_problem(problem)
+        msg += nmsg
+
+    if idash_mode=='Psychometrics':
+        problems = psychoanalyze.problems_with_psychometric_data(course_id)
+
+    #----------------------------------------
+    # context for rendering
     context = {'course': course,
                'staff_access': True,
                'admin_access': request.user.is_staff,
                'instructor_access': instructor_access,
                'datatable': datatable,
                'msg': msg,
+               'modeflag': {idash_mode: 'selectedmode'},
+               'problems': problems,		# psychometrics
+               'plots': plots,			# psychometrics
                'course_errors': modulestore().get_item_errors(course.location),
                }
 
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 63301d420b..3cfaae940d 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ MITX_FEATURES = {
     'ENABLE_DISCUSSION' : False,
     'ENABLE_DISCUSSION_SERVICE': True,
 
+    'ENABLE_PSYCHOMETRICS': False,	# real-time psychometrics (eg item response theory analysis in instructor dashboard)
+
     'ENABLE_SQL_TRACKING_LOGS': False,
     'ENABLE_LMS_MIGRATION': False,
     'ENABLE_MANUAL_GIT_RELOAD': False,
@@ -619,6 +621,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = (
     'util',
     'certificates',
     'instructor',
+    'psychometrics',
     
     #For the wiki
     'wiki', # The new django-wiki from benjaoming
diff --git a/lms/envs/dev.py b/lms/envs/dev.py
index 50befeb875..5a7e019e55 100644
--- a/lms/envs/dev.py
+++ b/lms/envs/dev.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ MITX_FEATURES['SUBDOMAIN_COURSE_LISTINGS'] = False  # Enable to test subdomains-
 MITX_FEATURES['SUBDOMAIN_BRANDING'] = True
 MITX_FEATURES['FORCE_UNIVERSITY_DOMAIN'] = None		# show all university courses if in dev (ie don't use HTTP_HOST)
 MITX_FEATURES['ENABLE_MANUAL_GIT_RELOAD'] = True
+MITX_FEATURES['ENABLE_PSYCHOMETRICS'] = True    # real-time psychometrics (eg item response theory analysis in instructor dashboard)
+
 
 WIKI_ENABLED = True
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html b/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
index 8568490e5e..d73eda1ed7 100644
--- a/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
+++ b/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 <%block name="headextra">
   <%static:css group='course'/>
+  <script type="text/javascript" src="${static.url('js/vendor/flot/jquery.flot.js')}"></script>
+  <script type="text/javascript" src="${static.url('js/vendor/flot/jquery.flot.axislabels.js')}"></script>
 </%block>
 
 <%include file="/courseware/course_navigation.html" args="active_page='instructor'" />
@@ -31,37 +33,89 @@ table.stat_table td {
 	border-color: #666666;
 	background-color: #ffffff;
 }
+
+a.selectedmode { background-color: yellow; }
+
 </style>
 
+<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
+function goto( mode)
+{
+  document.idashform.idash_mode.value = mode;
+  document.idashform.submit() ;
+}
+</script>
+
 <section class="container">
 <div class="instructor-dashboard-wrapper">
+
   <section class="instructor-dashboard-content">
     <h1>Instructor Dashboard</h1>
 
-    <form method="POST">
-    <input type="hidden" name="csrfmiddlewaretoken" value="${ csrf_token }">
+    <h2>[ <a href="#" onclick="goto('Grades');" class="${modeflag.get('Grades')}">Grades</a> | 
+          %if settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('ENABLE_PSYCHOMETRICS'):
+            <a href="#" onclick="goto('Psychometrics');" class="${modeflag.get('Psychometrics')}">Psychometrics</a> | 
+          %endif
+          <a href="#" onclick="goto('Admin');" class="${modeflag.get('Admin')}">Admin</a> ]
+    </h2>
 
+    <form name="idashform" method="POST">
+    <input type="hidden" name="csrfmiddlewaretoken" value="${ csrf_token }">
+    <input type="hidden" name="idash_mode" value="">
+
+##----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
+%if modeflag.get('Grades'):
     <p>
     <a href="${reverse('gradebook', kwargs=dict(course_id=course.id))}">Gradebook</a>
+    </p>
 
     <p>
     <a href="${reverse('grade_summary', kwargs=dict(course_id=course.id))}">Grade summary</a>
+    </p>
 
     <p>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Dump list of enrolled students">
+    </p>
 
     <p>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Dump Grades for all students in this course">
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Download CSV of all student grades for this course">
+    </p>
 
     <p>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Dump all RAW grades for all students in this course">
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Download CSV of all RAW grades">
+    </p>
 
     <p>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Download CSV of answer distributions">
+    </p>
+ %endif
 
-%if instructor_access:
+##----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
+%if modeflag.get('Psychometrics'):
+
+    <p>Select a problem and an action:
+    </p>
+
+    <p>
+    <select name="Problem">
+    %for problem, count in sorted(problems.items(), key=lambda x: x[0]):
+        <option value="${problem}">${problem} [${count}]</option>
+    %endfor
+    </select>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+    <input type="submit" name="action" value="Generate Histogram and IRT Plot">
+    </p>
+
+    <p></p>
+
+%endif
+
+##----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
+%if modeflag.get('Admin'):
+  %if instructor_access:
     <hr width="40%" style="align:left">
     <p>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="List course staff members">
@@ -69,16 +123,20 @@ table.stat_table td {
     <input type="text" name="staffuser"> <input type="submit" name="action" value="Remove course staff">
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Add course staff">
     <hr width="40%" style="align:left">
- %endif
+  %endif
 
-%if settings.MITX_FEATURES['ENABLE_MANUAL_GIT_RELOAD'] and admin_access:
+  %if settings.MITX_FEATURES['ENABLE_MANUAL_GIT_RELOAD'] and admin_access:
     <p>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Reload course from XML files">
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="GIT pull and Reload course">
+  %endif
 %endif
 
     </form>
 
+##----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
+%if modeflag.get('Psychometrics') is None:
+
     <br/>
     <br/>
     <p>
@@ -99,14 +157,45 @@ table.stat_table td {
         %endfor
       </table>
     </p>
+%endif
+
+##-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
+%if modeflag.get('Psychometrics'):
+
+    %for plot in plots:
+      <br/>
+      <h3>${plot['title']}</h3>
+      <br/>
+      <p>${plot['info']}</p>
+      <br/>
+      <div id="plot_${plot['id']}" style="width:600px;height:300px;"></div>
+      <script type="text/javascript">
+          $(function () {
+              ${plot['data']}
+              $.plot($("#plot_${plot['id']}"), ${plot['cmd']}  );
+          });
+      </script>
+      <br/>
+      <br/>
+    %endfor
+
+%endif
+ 
+##-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
+## always show msg
 
 %if msg:
     <p>${msg}</p>
 %endif
 
-% if course_errors is not UNDEFINED:
+##----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
+%if modeflag.get('Admin'):
+ % if course_errors is not UNDEFINED:
     <h2>Course errors</h2>
     <div id="course-errors">
+    %if not course_errors:
+          None
+    %else:
       <ul>
         % for (summary, err) in course_errors:
         <li>${summary | h}
@@ -118,8 +207,10 @@ table.stat_table td {
         </li>
         % endfor
         </ul>
+      %endif
       </div>
-% endif
+  % endif
+%endif      
 
   </section>
 </div>