Assess students: an overview.
Important decisions are often taken about students as a result of the scores they achieve in examinations. It should be possible to make important decisions in relation to student counselling and course development on the basis of evaluation results, but often this is not done. All teachers are involved directly or indirectly with assessing students' competencies and should be familiar with some of the current thinking on assessment. They should ask (and answer) five questions: (1) What should be assessed? (2) How should it be assessed? (3) Why should it be assessed? (4) When should it be assessed? (5) Who should carry out the assessment?
Professor of Medical Education, Centre for Medical Education, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY, Scotland.
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Harden