Determine the goals of the assessment.

Note the purpose of the procedure.

Define the evidence in a concrete way.

Specify who is appropriate for establishing and continuing to carry out the procedure.

Develop the timeframes and milestones that indicate progress.

Specify what situations could be troublesome.

Test.

How will you know when you have achieved your desired outcome? Be very specific about this. With these indications or clues (we call them “evidence”) in mind, you will be able to monitor your progress. Develop a procedure to ensure that you will detect the evidence as well as counter-evidence. We’ll call this an “evidence procedure.” For example, evidence in a learning situation is typically a test score. The evidence procedure would be the test design and the procedures for giving and grading the test.

Step 1: Define the assessment’s goals. #

(E.g., how well the student has learned a topic.) Positively state them. A score and grade that accurately reflect the student’s learning level. Describe ideal performance (Ex: 100%).

Step 2: Note the purpose of the procedure. #

What are its benefits? That is, why do you need the procedure? (E.g., students who learn NLP concepts can communicate more effectively with other NLP practitioners, and they can learn from the literature and teachers more effectively.)

Step 3: Define the evidence in a concrete way. #

Define the evidence in a concrete way, for example, as observable behaviors and other outcomes. How will you know when you have achieved your goal? (E.g., students who achieve 85% are reasonably conversant with NLP and fairly well prepared to benefit from teachers and the literature.)

Step 4: Specify what is appropriate for establishing and continuing to carry out the procedure. #

Make sure that any instructions or training for the procedure are complete and understandable. (E.g., trainers with at least five years of successful practice with NLP and who achieve at least a 90% score.)

Step 5: Create timeframes and milestones to track progress. #

This can include the points at which progress should be assessed and when the goal is expected to be achieved. Indicate what your criteria are for each step you specify. (E.g., a weekly quiz will help us determine how well the student has mastered the most recent lessons.)

Step 6: Recognize problematic situations. #

What issues might arise when administering the evidence procedure? This includes positive intentions that may cause resistance. (A trainer may lack time management and fail to administer the quiz. A closer look reveals that he or she needs the ego boost that comes from teaching, so they avoid giving the test. That’s a big change from when they weren’t affiliated with a grading institution.)

Step 7: Test. #

Establish times and responsibilities for evaluating the effectiveness of the testing, teaching, and materials used. (E.g., at the end of each quarter, trainers will review student satisfaction with an assessment instrument and a discussion. The trainers will review this at a quarterly staff meeting set aside for improving the program. It will include the opinions gathered from students as well as the opinions of all staff.