5.1

The existence throughout the European Union of a small but significant number of long-term unemployed, together with the ever-changing nature of industry, business and commerce requires responsive educational and training provision. It is not enough for an employer or the unemployed to know an individual’s strengths and weaknesses as revealed by diagnostic assessment. It is also important to discover how a trainee or the new returnee to work is progressing while being trained, or while responding to technological or other changes. This calls for the use of relevant assessment strategies that will generate the required information. The nature of key skills calls for a distinct approach to assessment. Unlike the assessment of specific vocational skills in which the focus will be the specific task, usually in a given context key skills demand the assessment of generic and transferable skills. The diagram below highlights the characteristics of formative assessment in relation to key skills.

Student/ Trainee/Employee undergoing training or in employment Trainer or employer needs to know if progress is being made, individual strengths and weaknesses. For example, assessments may be organised at the work place and include observation, discussion, and responses to specific assignments. Or they may be partly conducted by attendance at a local college or training provider. Or the approaches may be combined through the use of computers. This information allows training, etc. to be amended or remedial action to be taken.

 

Assessment is best achieved when the assessment techniques are most appropriate to the activity and its context being tested. A number of questions should be posed in deciding on the method of assessment to be used in a given situation, for example:

1. What do you want to find out?

Is it about what previously acquired skills are possessed?
Is it about the present level of achievement?
Is it about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses?

This information allows the trainer or employer to plan future skills training.

 

2. Do you want to find out the progress being made by a trainee or employee DURING a training programme or in the work place?

Is it about specific skills or integrated key skills?
Is it about continuing weaknesses?
Is it about adaptability to a training programme?

Again, this information allows adjustment and re-adjustment of training or work.

 

3. Do you want to find out the individual’s level of achievement in relation to the region or the country?

In relation to regional and national criteria?
In relation to level of achievement at the start of the programme - has progress been made?

This could facilitate the development of a national qualification which may, ultimately, make for acceptability or recognition within all countries within the European Union

 

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