The document discusses the results of a survey on the need for assessment centers in higher education. The survey found that most respondents believed there is a need for assessment centers and that they could help ensure authentic assessment of students. While some preparation for the workforce is being done, most respondents thought institutions could take a more practical approach. There was also support for using technology in assessment centers, such as video conferencing, interactive software, and webinars. However, concerns were raised about current limited access to technology for all students. The conclusions were that assessment centers have the potential to bridge the gap between education and workplace needs but resources must be improved to realize this goal.

1. Live your life. Create your destiny.
The necessity of Assessment
Centres in Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning with Technology
Marius Pienaar – HELTASA 2010

2. Content
1. Introduction
2. Purpose of the survey
3. Population & sampling
4. Survey findings
5. Conclusions
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010

3. Introduction
• Students:
• to function confidently in a rapidly
changing world (1)
•Educated/Trained – fulfill responsibilities
•Post-students:
•lacking skills to fully integrate with the
workforce > execute authentic assessment
> well-prepared for the workplace (2)
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
(1) Bolani, Pissarra, Hendricks, Swanepoel & Opie-Jacobs, 2007: v
(2) Gresham and Andrulis, 2002: 1-21

4. Introduction
The question arises: What will ensure
authentic assessment? > Assessment Centres
•Contribute towards work integrated learning
•But: gap between what Higher Education
offers and what the workplace requires
•Bridge the gap with authentic assessment, i.e.
Assessment Centres by integrating technology
for meaningful assessment
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010

5. Purpose of the survey
•Surveyed the need for Assessment Centres in
Higher Education/Teaching and Learning
•Examined to what extent institutions are
preparing students for the workplace
•Examined how an Assessment Centre, by
utilizing modern technologies, can contribute
to the delivery of well-prepared and educated
students to the workplace
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010

6. Population & sampling
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
Population:
•all academic staff in Department of teaching and
Learning at TUT (50)
Sampling:
•Random selection (30)
•convenient

7. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
84.10%
3.20% 12.70%
Is there a need for Assessment Centres in HE?
Yes
No
Don't know

8. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
9.40%
4.80%
41.30%
39.70%
4.80%
How well is your institution preparing students to be
effective in the workplace?
Not sure
No preparation
Some preparation
Good preparation
Excellent
preparation

9. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
An Assessment Centre is ...
88.90%
11.10%
A venue where students work with acquired
knowledge (hands-on-approach).
Agree
Disagree

10. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
An Assessment Centre is ...
21.90%
78.10%
A venue where invigilators only makes use of IT
technology.
Agree
Disagree

11. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
An Assessment Centre is ...
79.70%
20.30%
Simulations, like role-play and in-baskets, are part of
an Assessment Centre.
Agree
Disagree

12. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
An Assessment Centre is ...
75.00%
25.00%
Where students learn to use and produce feedback and
keep a portfolio, with the assistance of a supervisor.
Agree
Disagree

13. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
46.90%
48.40%
1.60% 3.10%
Do you think that an Assessment Centre will ensure
authentic assessment?
Yes
Maybe
No
Don't know

14. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
75%
6.30%
12.50%
6.30%
Should your institution follow a more practical
approach to assessment?
Yes
No
Already assessing
this way
Don't know

15. Comments to the above question:
Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
•“Although my institution is already doing some kind of assessment that
evaluates the student's readiness for the actual work place, it still needs
to be formalised and structured in a way that is measureable or can be
replicated.”
•“An Assessment Centre can be too protected, student gain false
confidence.”
•“Practically the issue of technology inclusion is a concern when one
considers the scarcity of resources among our students. How many
students have their own PC's?”
•“But I do believe that some of the lecturers are already applying
assessment centre approaches. I think they don't know that it is part of
assessment centres.”

16. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
61.90%
22.20%
6.30%
9.50%
Should your institution follow a more electronic approach
to assessment?
Yes
No
Already assessing
this way
Don't know

17. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
•“Depends on the type of assessment and the subject concerned.”
Comments to the above questions:
•“There is no interaction with students.”
•“If adopted for the institution, resources should be easily accessible.”
•“Certainly not possible for practical subjects - assessment for theory
could be done electronically.”
•“It will be really difficult, nice but difficult for the students. Then you
have to make sure that they have appropriate computer skills.”
•“But we currently have limited IT access for the number of students on
campus.”

18. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
29.50%
41%
55.70%
9.80%
47.50%
44.30%
49.20%
72.10%
49.20%
Which of the following technologies you believe could be
used in an Assessment Centre for meaningful assessment?
Webinar
Webcast
Internet forums
Telephony
Video conferencing
Data conferencing
Application sharing
Interactive PC hard- & software
PC Tablet

19. Survey findings
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
Comments to the above question:
“E-assessment on computer for formative and webinar for summative
assessment.”
“One way mirror classrooms for observation.”
“E-mail”

20. Conclusions
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
•There is a need for Assessment Centres in Teaching and
Learning.
•Computer skills of students have to be improved.
•Assessment Centres can ensure authentic assessment, but
do have its limitations.
•More practical and electronic approach to assessment.
•Current assessment strategies can be formalised into that
of Assessment Centres.

21. Conclusions
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
“Our current on campus electronic resources on
campus does not cope with our student demand -
according to our students and considering their
reports of not having PC's this I think is part of the
resistance toward digital integration in the
academic sphere.”
“This sounds like a pie in the sky? Only for the
privileged few?”

22. BOLANI, T., PISSARRA, S., HENDRICKS, M., SWANEPOEL, H. & OPIE-
JACOBS, J. 2007. Literacy, Numeracy and Life Skills for the new nation.
Cape Town: NASOU via Afrika. 379 p.
References
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010
GRESHAM, M.T. & ANDRULIS, J. 2002. Creating value in government
through human capital management – Integrating workforce-planning
approaches. IBM Institute for Business Value. IBM Global Service

23. Comments and Questions
Marius Pienaar
Instructional Designer
Teaching and Learning with Technology
TUT
PienaarM1@tut.ac.za
ThenecessityofAssessment
CentresinTeachingandLearning
HELTASA 2010