I agree that they're kind of missing the point -- we need to look at new and better ways of assessing, not just revamp our examinations.
At the same time, though, I think they're trying to say that a short answer question provides more opportunity for thought and problem solving than a multiple choice question, and there I agree with them. Where I live, all standardized tests are multiple choice, and they're deliberately as tricky as they can make them. If they at least had short answers, the kids would be able to show what they knew instead of just picking from a pre set list of answers.
That said, maybe it's time we start redefining assessment altogether. I know that last year, I had parents AND kids up in arms because I didn't give exams in social studies, which meant -- and I quote -- "no one learned anything."
So because they didn't memorize facts to regurgitate on a test, they didn't learn. This, more than anything, worries me. Can we as educators make these changes if the rest of society remains convinced that testing is the only way to prove knowledge?