The Practice of Assessment (preprint)

Abstract: Assessment is a central feature of teaching and the curriculum. The most important part of assessment is the correct interpretation and use of the information for its intended purpose. There should be a strong emphasis on using frequent and timely formative assessment to optimize individual progress, as inevitably assessments will influence students’ learning strategies. There are a multitude of different assessment approaches that will need to be aligned with the desired learning objectives as a useful way to encourage trainees to attend to the most important outcomes. Consider the complementarity of different methods at your disposal to leverage the strengths and compensate for the individual weaknesses which will influence validity in your own setting. Despite the educators’ best intentions, problems can develop when they attempt to assess trainees and challenges should be anticipated. A properly constructed system of assessment can, over time and using multiple methods and judges, provide greater validity and coverage of a curriculum.