Twelve tips for increasing the defensibility of assessment decisions

Abstract

In an era of increasing scrutiny of the performance of graduates in the workplace, there can be frustrations when decisions about learners with borderline or poor performance in formal assessments are over-turned in appeal processes. This article addresses the approach to reducing the uncertainty about assessment decisions and surviving appeals.

Nuance and Noise: Lessons Learned From Longitudinal Aggregated Assessment Data

“…15 While it may be the case that individual observation encounters fit within an assessment as learning framework 16 and precipitate learning encounters between faculty teachers and trainees, this approach alone may not be sufficient for defensible advancement or remediation decisions. 17 If decision makers (such as program directors or Clinical Competency Committees [CCCs]) are to make defensible decisions using available data, it is incumbent on the designers of the assessment system to identify patterns of advanced and remedial performance within large assessment data sets and to identify how to combine data to determine this. 17 Understanding the nature of information acquired from longitudinal data sets is imperative for educators responsible for interpreting available trends and rendering decisions derived from programmatic assessment data systems.…”

Is a picture worth a thousand words: an analysis of the difficulty and discrimination parameters of illustrated vs. text-alone vignettes in histology multiple choice questions

“…Moreover, studies investigating these processes, utilising think-aloud analyses protocols, indicate differences in the reasoning processes demonstrated by novices and experts, when assessed using these context-rich formats [ 11 , 36 ]. A further advantage of this assessment format is the ability to evaluate the examination, and the performance of individual items within, by models such as Classical Test Theory [ 14 , 17 ].…”

Including health promotion and illness prevention in medical education: a progress report

“…This may result in some candidates achieving an overall pass despite strong weaknesses, potentially encouraging some students to focus examination preparation on ‘larger’ topics. It is possible to limit or prevent compensation through appropriate wording of assessment policies about the rules of progression and to manage assessment scores in making pass or fail decisions …”

“…It is possible to limit or prevent compensation through appropriate wording of assessment policies about the rules of progression and to manage assessment scores in making pass or fail decisions. 32 During accreditation processes it is usual to investigate assessment practices. Curriculum priorities may become evident through reviewing assessment policies and the balance of content of individual assessment items in examination papers, but this is a time-consuming process and is difficult to do in any depth.…”