PRACTICAL HINTS AND BEST PRACTICES

Assessment approaches

As described earlier, in order to be able to recognize and validate competencies in the framework of the ECVET, ECTS and micro-credential EU standards and tools, teachers should be able to assess if a student has achieved each learning outcome of the instantiated curriculum.

In complex curricula such as the TEAMCARE’s one, assessing students “LO by LO” could require a very big effort and this task may not be in line with the needs and rules of the HE institution/VET provider.

To support and lighten this complex task, two EU projects co-funded by Erasmus Plus Programme, NECTAR project3 and oMERO project4, identified 3 main ASSESSMENT APPROACHES and developed specific tools supporting their implementation.

Each approach corresponds to “a way to manage the assessment of LOs in the assessment tools” (e.g. an automatic test, a written essay, a simulation, etc.). Teachers can define a different approach for each assessment tool, from the simplest (approach 1) to the most complex (approach 3).

Possible Assessment Approaches are:

ASSESSMENT APPROACH 1: the teacher reports if the WHOLE EXAM/TEST has been PASSED or FAILED. If the exam has been PASSED, each LO assessed through that exam/test is considered as PASSED.

ASSESSMENT APPROACH 2: the teacher reports if EACH LEARNING OUTCOME assessed by the tool has been PASSED or FAILED.

ASSESSMENT APPROACH 3: the teacher reports if EACH LEARNING OUTCOME assessed by the tool has been PASSED or FAILED. In the event that a LO has been PASSED, the teacher also has to detail the specific mastery level (e.g. satisfactory, good, excellent).

Grading and certification

A candidate passes if they successfully complete both theoretical and practical exams. Results are usually released within 10 days, and candidates are allowed to retake exams if they do not pass on the first attempt. Once all requirements are met, the Certification Body should issue the “Specialist in CBIT for person-centered care” qualification certificate within 15 days.

Governance and oversight

An Assessment Committee should be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the assessment procedure. This committee, comprised experts or field specialists, evaluates and authenticates examination procedures to ensure equity, impartiality, and adherence to professional norms.

Examiners are chosen according to their expertise and experience in the pertinent health domain, requiring a minimum of two years of practical experience. They can correspond to teachers or may be recruited to assessment purposes. Their responsibilities encompass supervising theoretical and practical assessments, verifying adherence to protocols, and reporting outcomes. They must maintain impartiality, devoid of any prior association with the candidates.

Invigilators should oversee the logistics of the examination, encompassing candidate identification, provision of examination materials, and enforcement of examination regulations. They are essential in maintaining the integrity of the process by overseeing fraudulent activities and facilitating the seamless administration of both online and written examinations.

3 https://www.nectar-project.eu/

4 https://www.visualrehabilitator.eu/

Summary and printable version

This set of pages has covered the Students’ Assessment Guide: the introduction; the premises linking students’ assessment to ECTS and micro-credentials; the formulation of Learning Outcomes and the design of assessment criteria; the assessment methods available, from interprofessional competency assessment to written exams, oral exams, simulations, Work-Based Learning assessment and other data sources; and the practical hints and best practices on assessment approaches, grading, certification, governance and oversight.

Download the full guide

The complete Students’ Assessment Guide is also available as a single printable document, for offline reading or reference.

  • Students’ Assessment Guide PDF