HLSC610 - Assessment and Evaluation

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

A clinical educator needs knowledge and skills to plan, implement and evaluate selected assessment and evaluation strategies as they apply to simulated and real life clinical settings. Educators need sound knowledge of learning theory and a critical approach to analysing education trends in order to provide engaging, meaningful and effective clinical education experiences.

This unit introduces students to the current and emerging theories underpinning valid and reliable assessment of clinical learners and provides opportunities to develop and implement clinical assessment items, as well as practical experience in assessment. Assessment and evaluation approaches will be critically analysed to differentiate their anticipated purposes and outcomes. The influence of simulated and real clinical settings on assessment of clinical learning will be analysed to inform the development of valid and reliable assessment practices.

The aim of this unit is to empower students to explore and apply a range of strategies and techniques to optimise clinical assessment and evaluation as a learning and teaching method.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Analyse the purposes of assessment of clinical learning in simulated and real clinical settings (GA5);

LO2 - Critically analyse selected assessment models and theories (GA5);

LO3 - Formulate, implement and evaluate learner-centred assessment strategies (GA1, GA4);

LO4 - Select, apply and evaluate appropriate evaluation strategies for learning plans and programs (GA4, GA8); and

LO5 - Identify and mitigate ethical, moral and legal risk in relation to assessment and evaluation (GA1, GA8).

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

Content

Topics will include: 

Purposes of assessment  

• Assessment for learning  
• Maintenance of professional standards  

Assessment models and theories  

• Affective, cognitive and psychomotor domains 
• Assessment and performance models 
• Models for innovative assessment 
• Mastery and grading models of assessment 
• Formative and summative assessment 
• Evaluation of assessment models and theories  

Clinical assessment tools  

• Performance outcomes  
• Measuring clinical objectives  
• Rating scales  
• Checklists  

Learner-centred assessment strategies 

• Self-assessment 
• Competency assessment 
• Peer assessment 
• Video assessment 
• Clinical portfolio 
• Providing feedback 
• Evaluation of student-centred assessment strategies 

Evaluation strategies 

• Pre - / Post evaluation 
• Quantitative/ Qualitative/Mixed method 
• Organizational 
• Self-evaluation, Peer evaluation 
• Student evaluation 

Ethical, moral and legal risk in assessment and evaluation 

• Due process, equity and fairness  
• Confidentiality  
• Documentation  
• Consent  
• Storage of assessment records

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The unit is offered in online mode and uses an active and collaborative learning approach to support students in the exploration of the essential knowledge associated with contemporary assessment and evaluation practices in healthcare education. Students will be supported to actively engage with the content through readings, discussion forums and collaboration with their peers. Consistent with adult learning principles, these learning and teaching strategies allow flexibility for students while ensuring they have expert support. Students are supported to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit and the broader course learning outcomes. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively with peers.

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to successfully complete this unit, students need to complete and submit two assessment tasks. A minimum combined total grade of both assessment tasks of 50% is required to pass this unit. Students will be awarded a final grade result.

This graduate certificate level unit sees students continue their transition towards independent learning. The assessment strategy aims to progressively develop students’ knowledge and skills to enable them to meet the learning outcomes and Graduate Attributes of the unit. Students first demonstrate knowledge of assessment and evaluation through a written assignment. They demonstrate higher understanding through the development of an assessment tool, and finally apply this understanding through the evaluation of student learning.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Dirksen, J. (2012). Design for how people learn. USA: New Riders.

Gardner, J. (Ed). (2012). Assessment and learning (2nd ed.).London, UK.: Sage.

Gravells, A. (2011). Principles and practice of assessment in the lifelong learning sector (2nd ed.). Exeter: Learning Matters.

Higgs, J., Ajjawi, R., McAllister, L., Trede, F., & Loftus, S. (2012). Communicating in the health sciences (3rd ed.). Victoria: Oxford University Press.

Oermann, M. H., & Gaberson, K. B. (2013). Evaluation and testing in nursing education (4th ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders.

Price, K. M., & Nelson, K. L. (2014). Planning effective instruction (5th ed.). Australia: Wadsworth.

Spendlove, D. (2011). Putting assessment for learning into practice. Great Britain: Continuum.