The author examines three essential questions on educational assessment: What really matters in a contemporary education? How should we assess those things that matter? How might our assessments enhance learning that matters, not just measure it? In answering these question, he argues that schools need a broader collection of measures, with a…

This article provides an outline and critical review of assessment, an evaluation of learning outcomes, in vocational education and training (VET) in Finland. Assessment of VET is formative, development-orientated and criteria-based. There are no national tests and information from vocational skills demonstrations is used instead. Assessment…

There has been a major shift in educational learning goals--as seen most recently by Goal 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals--focused on global citizenship education and education for sustainable development. The shift concerns recognition of the need for education systems to equip learners with competencies such as problem solving,…

"I am shortlisting a candidate with GCSE in English and another with Level 2 in Literacy; does it mean they have the same skill at the same level? Also what is Key Skills in Communication? I am confused!" There are many different qualifications available in the lifelong learning sector and it is not always easy to see how they relate to…

This work compares the results of three assessment systems used in two Spanish universities (the "Universidad Politecnica de Madrid" and the "Universidad Catolica de Avila"): the traditional system based on final examinations, continuous assessment with periodic tests and a proposed system (specially designed for heterogeneous…

This handbook was designed to assist counselors, teachers, and administrators in using the Career Skills Assessment Program (CSAT) materials and services properly. Part 1 of the handbook, Guide to Use of the CSAP, is primarily concerned with understanding, interpreting, and applying the results of the program. Specific topics discussed in this…

Discusses the need for developing job competency tests which measure cognitive and personal traits, as well as specific skills and knowledge. Emphasizes that the use of rigorously validated measures of intellectual and personal traits facilitates the evaluation of post-secondary education's effectiveness in the post-academic world. (Author/GC)

Since acceptable writing is essential to success in job training programs and in many entry-level jobs, a writing sample was included in the Training and Employment Prerequisites Survey, a multiple-choice test about skills like mechanics, usage, and spelling. The two writing prompts asked students to give directions for finding a location in a…

This study examines performance and authentic assessments related to job and academic skills. It begins with a general historical perspective that discusses the evolution of assessment systems used by education and industry in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. The influence of federal policy also is discussed,…

A critical linkage in training systems is the translation of training evaluation information for reassessing training needs and for making training program changes. This paper presents the development of a conceptual framework for examining the job relevancy and efficiency of training and the linkage for this evaluative information to training…

Information for this manual was gathered through eight allied health organizations which provided 171 representatives to participate in six regional workshops at which consultants, faculty, and project staff presented concepts and materials on how to evaluate the quality of an allied health education program. Participants subsequently participated…

Using a sample of all graduates and a randomly chosen group of leavers (those who had completed three terms over a four-year period), a study was conducted at Chemeketa Community College to develop a model survey instrument for employers to evaluate the automotive technology program. Several steps were followed in the development process,…

As part of Project IMPACT's efforts to identify and develop procedures for complying with the impact requirements of Public Law 94-482, a case study was made of the Illinois Occupational Survival Skills Project. The purpose of the Occupational Survival Skills Project was to develop curriculum materials to help prepare high school students to…

This curriculum package on developing workplace curriculum is a product of the Workforce 2000 Partnership, which combined the resources of four educational partners and four industrial partners in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina to provide education and training in communication, computation, and critical thinking to employees in the apparel,…

In an attempt to meet the need for improved skills in the local workforce, San Juan College (New Mexico) made efforts to locate a target population of students and find out how successfully the courses they took met their work needs. A computer search identified a trial population of 513 students who met a set of criteria that suggested they took…