Why Is Competent Use Of Assessment Instruments Important

Competent use of assessment instruments is an important ethical concern regarding assessment. Why is competent use of assessment instruments so important? Identify barriers you’ve experienced to the competent use of assessment instruments. What are some ways to overcome these barriers?

There are a myriad of reasons why the competent use of assessment instruments is important to consider. Firstly, it is unethical for someone to administer an assessment if they have not received proper training. The examiner is responsible for providing accurate and sensitive feedback to the client. If the examiner has not been properly trained on how to accurately administer and interpret the assessment, the client may receive incorrect information. This is important to consider, given that many assessments deal with high-stakes results such
For example, beginning examiners often encounter diverse populations. Working with these populations often leads to miscommunication of information that is essential to their performance on the test (such as with language barriers). It is imperative that the client understands the information provided in the test, including the instructions to complete the test. A lack of understanding of instructions prevents the client from accurately performing to the best of their ability and therefore invalidates the results. In addition to encountering diverse populations, our lack of familiarity with these assessments as new examiners is another barrier. Not only do we have to learn the content of the assessments; we also have to learn how to administer, score, and write up the results. This bombardment of new information interferes with our ability to be flexible in challenging or unusual situations. Until we are able to administer assessments with ease, our focus and judgment on how to proceed in unexpected circumstances will be