This book addresses challenges in the theoretically and empirically adequate assessment of competencies in educational settings. It presents the scientific projects of the priority program “Competence Models for Assessing Individual Learning Outcomes and Evaluating Educational Processes,” which focused on competence assessment across disciplines in Germany. The six-year program coordinated 30 research projects involving experts from the fields of psychology, educational science, and subject-specific didactics. The main reference point for all projects is the concept of “competencies,” which are defined as “context-specific cognitive dispositions that are acquired and needed to successfully cope with certain situations or tasks in specific domains” (Koeppen et al., 2008, p. 62). The projects investigate different aspects of competence assessment: The primary focus lies on the development of cognitive models of competencies, complemented by the construction of psychometric models based on these theoretical models. In turn, the psychometric models constitute the basis for the construction of instruments for effectively measuring competencies. The assessment of competencies plays a key role in optimizing educational processes and improving the effectiveness of educational systems. This book contributes to this challenging endeavor by meeting the need for more integrative, interdisciplinary research on the structure, levels, and development of competencies.

This comprehensive five-step model for measuring teacher knowledge and skills helps teacher educators and school administrators prepare fair, valid, and reliable assessments of teacher performance.

This second volume of papers from the ATC21STM project deals with the development of an assessment and teaching system of 21st century skills. Readers are guided through a detailed description of the methods used in this process. The first volume was published by Springer in 2012 (Griffin, P., McGaw, B. & Care, E., Eds., Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills, Dordrecht: Springer). The major elements of this new volume are the identification and description of two 21st century skills that are amenable to teaching and learning: collaborative problem solving, and learning in digital networks. Features of the skills that need to be mirrored in their assessment are identified so that they can be reflected in assessment tasks. The tasks are formulated so that reporting of student performance can guide implementation in the classroom for use in teaching and learning. How simple tasks can act as platforms for development of 21st century skills is demonstrated, with the concurrent technical infrastructure required for its support. How countries with different languages and cultures participated and contributed to the development process is described. The psychometric qualities of the online tasks developed are reported, in the context of the robustness of the automated scoring processes. Finally, technical and educational issues to be resolved in global projects of this nature are outlined.

The only text to comprehensively address the assessment of student learning in a wide variety of settings. Long considered the gold standard for evaluation and testing in nursing education, the sixth edition of this classic text provides expert, comprehensive guidance in the assessment of student learning in a wide variety of settings, as well as the evaluation of instructor and program effectiveness. It presents fundamental measurement and evaluation concepts that will aid nurse educators in the design, critique, and use of appropriate tests and evaluation tools. Important social, ethical, and legal issues associated with testing and evaluation also are explored, including the prevention of cheating and academic policies for testing, grading, and progression. Written by experts in the field of nursing education, Evaluation and Testing in Nursing Education features practical advice on the development of test blueprints; creation of all types of test items, including next-generation NCLEX-style items; the assembly, administration, and scoring of tests; test/item analyses and interpretation; evaluation of higher levels of learning; assessment of written assignments; and suggestions for creating tests in online courses and programs. An entire section is devoted to clinical evaluation processes and methods, including the use of simulation for assessment and high-stakes evaluation, clinical evaluation in distance settings, and the use of technology for remote evaluation of clinical performance. The text meets the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator Competency #3: Use Assessment and Evaluation Strategies. NEW TO THE SIXTH EDITION: Expanded coverage of test item analysis and interpretation Expanded coverage of clinical evaluation processes and methods Guidance on how to work with part-time clinical educators and preceptors to ensure that evaluation processes are followed consistently Expanded content on the construction and administration of online tests Tips for adapting test bank items and other item-writing resources Guidelines for the design of academic policies for academic integrity, testing, grading, and progression KEY FEATURES: Describes how to develop test blueprints and assemble, administer, write, and analyze tests Provides guidelines for the selection of standardized tests for a nursing curriculum Details how to evaluate written assignments with sample scoring rubrics Includes a robust ancillary package: Instructor’s Manual (with sample syllabus, course modules, learning activities, discussion questions, assessment strategies, and online resources) and chapter PowerPoint slides Purchase includes digital access for use on most mobile devices or computers

A worthy successor to 'The Handbook of Teacher Evaluation', this landmark volume is an important source of information for anyone concerned with teacher evaluation, training and development.