Core Activity 7.3 Approaches to assessment in my setting

The background research on this subject highlighted a number of aspects of assessment that I want to incorporate in my practice.

 

In the PLOT webspace, they refer to a LAMP of learning model which has seven stages. from bottom to top, the stages are; use, connect, internalise, synthesis, apply and use. Progression through these stages leads to Deep Learning, and puts students in a position to interpret and adapt their learning to suit their own situation. Learning activities are designed to prompt learning through these various stages.

 

This progression is essential in my situation, where consultants sign up for training so that they can incorporate our new organisation model into their existing practice. The PLOT website offers a series of structured assessment and personal planning tools to underpin this approach.

 

Burgess has an excellent structure for creating personal development plans around identified areas of weakness.

1 Learning Objective

2 How will you work towards this

3 How will you know about your progress

4 Progress in reaching objective

5 Evidence

6 What got in the way

7 Further work needed

 

Step 5 requires evidence of progress, which enables the learner to create revised learning plans, taking account of step 6 (what got in the way).

 

In my experience in business, tangible evidence is often absent from the assessment process of an individual's performance. Even in peer assessed situations gut-feel scoring is much more typical and tends to lack objectivity. A client of mine has recently introduced a succession planning process in her company which attempts to overcome this assessment weakness. The leadership competences that have been identified for the future have a spectrum of descriptions which are assigned to be low, medium or high performance indicators. Tangible evidence of performance against the competency spectrum is required in the assessment process with the rating being given after consideration of this evidence. Human Resource staff have been trained to use a positive questioning process with managers who are doing the assessing to ensure the robustness of this evidence.

 

'So what' for my learning disciplines?

1. 
   
   Establishing meaningful criteria against which to assess progress and make action plans is essential. These can be compared against the LAMP model. As I assemble my H808 e-portfolio, I will consider the extent to which the goals I have set myself will provide me with the right framework and revise as appropriate. 
2. 
   
   The PDP structure that Burgess recommends also looks very valuable.
3. 
   
   Incorporating peer review of my progress, drawing on feedback from colleagues is a genuine option for me. I hope that this review process may also serve to educate and inform my colleagues about the potential of new approaches to learning.

 

References:

Burgess, H (n.d.) Self and Peer Assessment (online), The Higher Education Academy: Social Work and Social Policy (SWAP). Available from: http://sorubank.ege.edu.tr/~bouo/DLUE/Chapter-08/Chapter-8-makaleler/Assessment%202_%20Self%20and%20peer%20assessment.htm (accessed 19 August 2009). Professional Learning Online Tool (n.d.) Demo (online). Available from: http://www.plotpd.com/Demonstration/Demonstration.htm (accessed 20 December 2009).