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Developing Expertise in
Work-Based Learning and
Teaching Assessment (DELTA)
www.deltaproject.eu

Assessments also need to be valid and reliable. Validity refers to the degree to which assessments
measure what they are intended to measure (how well they are aligned with learning objectives and
curriculum). Reliability refers to the consistency and stability of results across student populations or
education institutions. Designing valid and reliable assessments of learners’ higher order thinking or
capacity to perform complex tasks may be particularly challenging.
The ​recognition of learning outcomes ​means the process of attesting officially-achieved learning
outcomes through the award of credit, units or qualifications.

Traditional tests – particularly the standardised assessments considered as more reliable – focus on
independent ‘traits’ or fragments of knowledge. These assessments, which may include large-scale
standardized assessments, university entrance examinations, and some certification examinations or
assessment for accountability purposes, yield little insight into learner understanding of interconnections
and patterns, or on their learning needs or potential.

Regulations fix the examination subjects and take care that at certain times per year examinations are
conducted throughout the country under the same conditions. Qualified examiners know the training
content and the examination requirements. They work in examination boards in written, oral and practical
examinations on a high quality standard.

Note:
DEFINITIONS from the European Union:

For the purposes of this recommendation, the following definitions shall apply:

● ‘Qualification’ means a formal outcome of an assessment and validation process which is obtained when a
competent institution determines that an individual has achieved learning outcomes to given standards;
● ‘Learning outcomes’ means statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of
a learning process and which are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence;
● ‘Unit of learning outcomes’ (unit) means a component of a qualification, consisting of a coherent set of
knowledge, skills and competence, that can be assessed and validated;
● ‘Credit for learning outcomes’ (credit) means a set of learning outcomes of an individual which have been
assessed and which can be accumulated towards a qualification or transferred to other learning programmes or
qualifications;
● ‘Competent institution’ means an institution which is responsible for designing and awarding qualifications or
recognising units or other functions linked to ECVET, such as allocation of ECVET points to qualifications and
units, assessment, validation and recognition of learning outcomes, under the rules and practices of participating
countries;
● ‘Assessment of learning outcomes’ means methods and processes used to establish the extent to which a
learner has in fact attained particular knowledge, skills and competence;

IO2:​ ​Toolbox for Tutors and Mentors DELTA - 2017-1-UK01-KA202-036810 Seite 40

This project
has been funded with support from the European Commission. This
publication [communication] and all its contents reflect the views only of the author,
and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information