Twelve Tips for programmatic assessment.

Area of Science:

• Educational Assessment
• Learning Sciences
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Traditional assessment methods often fail to optimize learning and decision-making.
• There is a need for integrated approaches to assessment that enhance educational quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and define programmatic assessment as an integral approach to optimize learning, decision-making, and curriculum quality assurance.
• To provide recommendations for the implementation of programmatic assessment.

Main Methods:

• Programmatic assessment integrates individual assessment methods as data points aligned with curriculum outcomes.
• It maximizes information value through learner feedback and decouples assessment from decision moments.
• Decisions are based on aggregated data, supported by organizational procedures and a mentoring system for self-regulation.

Main Results:

• Individual assessment data points are aggregated for dependable decision-making.
• Learner self-regulation is scaffolded through feedback analysis and a mentoring system.
• Programmatic assessment is applicable across the training continuum when constructivism underpins learning.

Conclusions:

• Programmatic assessment offers a robust framework for optimizing educational programs.
• Effective implementation requires alignment with constructivist learning principles and supportive organizational structures.