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- Title
Taking the sting out of assessment: is there a role for progress testing?
- Authors
Pugh, Debra; Regehr, Glenn
- Abstract
Context It has long been understood that assessment is an important driver for learning. However, recently, there has been growing recognition that this powerful driving force of assessment has the potential to undermine curricular efforts. When the focus of assessment is to categorise learners into competent or not (i.e. assessment of learning), rather than being a tool to promote continuous learning (i.e. assessment for learning), there may be unintended consequences that ultimately hinder learning. In response, there has been a movement toward constructing assessment not only as a measurement problem, but also as an instructional design problem, and exploring more programmatic models of assessment across the curriculum. Progress testing is one form of assessment that has been introduced, in part, to attempt to address these concerns. However, in order for any assessment tool to be successful in promoting learning, careful consideration must be given to its implementation. Objective The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of implementing progress testing within practice, and how this might promote or impede learning in the three phases of assessment (pre-test, pure-test and post-test). Methods We will examine the literature on how assessment drives learning and how this might apply to progress testing. We will also explore the distinction between assessment of learning and assessment for learning, including ways in which they overlap and differ. We end by discussing how the properties of an assessment tool can be harnessed to optimise learning. Conclusions Progress tests are one potential solution to the problem of removing (or at least lessening) the sting associated with assessment. If implemented with careful thought and consideration, progress tests can be used to support the type of deep, meaningful and continuous learning that we are trying to instill in our learners.
- Subjects
CURRICULUM; EDUCATIONAL tests &; measurements; HEALTH occupations students; LEARNING; LEARNING strategies; MATHEMATICAL models; MEDICAL students; STUDY &; teaching of medicine; RATING of students; THEORY; EDUCATION theory
- Publication
Medical Education, 2016, Vol 50, Issue 7, p721
- ISSN
0308-0110
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/medu.12985