Abstract
In this edited volume, the collective authors of Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability in Adult Education examine the current use and critical issues of assessment and evaluation in adult education from a multitude of perspectives within the field. As adult education funding is often determined by quantitative metrics derived from learner assessments, the authors boldly confront the common misuse of poorly constructed, biased assessment instruments that do not authentically capture learning that occurred. Rather than stress metrics in aim of quantifying student learning, they instead offer insight on how to use assessment and evaluation effectively to support student learning and to better capture a holistic snapshot of learning that occurred. These authors argue that future assessments and evaluations need to be conducted with instruments that are constructed with meaning, purpose, and accountability. The editor and contributing author, Lillian H. Hill, claimed her aim of this book was to broaden the discussion surrounding assessment and evaluation within adult education.
This book consists of 14 chapters, including an introduction, six chapters on specific areas of adult education practice, six chapters on adults in higher education, and a conclusion. Each content chapter begins with an overview and aims. Specific areas of adult education practice explored within include army and military education, human resource development, and continuing professional education. The authors of these chapters expound upon the necessity and utilization of assessment and evaluation practices within each area, while bringing to light inequities of assessment and evaluation structure, issues, and challenges. The succeeding six chapters are dedicated to assessment and evaluation in higher education, though each addresses a different category of learners (e.g., graduate learners and distance learners). The final chapter of the book focuses on providing guidance for implementing assessment and evaluation that purposefully serve adult learners in various educational contexts. Presented at the end of each chapter is a robust reference list, providing excellent support to the chapter content.
In the introductory chapter, Hill asserts strong advocation and support of adult learners via the use of effective assessment and evaluative instruments and techniques that support meaningful adult learning experiences. Advocation and support in this regard remained prevalent throughout the succeeding chapters as the collective authors echoed Hill, urging the need for educators to consider the purpose and validity of learner assessments. In summary of the collective contributions, Hill (in the final chapter) comprehensively defined elements of effective instruments and techniques for assessment and evaluation in adult education that support meaningful learning. In her summary, she describes that assessments and evaluations should be directly correlated to learners’ goals and their sociocultural environments; they should promote learning transfer and require metacognition and self–reflection; they should involve discussion and feedback for the opportunity to learn from “mistakes”; they should aid learners in making personal meaning of learned material as so to support lifelong and progressive learning; they should be free of avoidable bias and take learner subjectivity into account to support the equitability of assessments in diverse learning populations.
The authors make substantial connections between current literature and their position regarding the need for assessment instruments to be carefully constructed if they are to support adult learning. For example, cited theoretical underpinnings supporting these authors claims include the following topics and frameworks: The planning, improvement, and the principals of assessments in higher education (Banta & Palomba, 2015), assessment and accountability demands in adult education (Cummings & Miller, 2017), and frameworks of assessing adult learners (Addae, 2016; Hill, 2017; Nguyen & Walker, 2016). The scholarly works referenced throughout this book contribute to the broad conversation and debate of assessment and evaluation. They provide a summary view of the collective knowledge and theoretical foundation for enhancing assessment and evaluation tools to better support adult learners.
Evaluation
Alongside the authors collective advocation and thoughtful guidance for constructing effective assessment and evaluative techniques that support meaningful learning, they candidly bring to light that “creators of assessments and evaluations are unable to fully rid themselves of racial, ethnic, and gender stereotypes” (p. 233). Thus, educators must practice heightened awareness throughout the creation of instruments aimed to assess and evaluate in educational settings. The authors’ acknowledgment of this fact broadens the discussion of assessment and evaluation in adult education to include the power dynamic between the assessment creator and the assessed, highlighting the critical issue of assessment equitability in diverse learning populations.
However, rather than leaving readers puzzled and questioning how to navigate challenges of equitable assessment creation, such as unavoidable inherent biases, the authors offer contemporary suggestions for creating equitable learner assessments, such as co–creating assessments with adult learners. Various scholarly works reflect the utility of co–constructing assessments with learners, an approach grounded in andragogical theory (e.g., Knowles, 1968) and elucidated upon in recent literature. Bolton (2006) integrated andragogical theory and rubrics as a tool of assessment. From his research, he found that co–constructed grading rubrics fulfill the adult learners’ need of understanding the purpose behind instructional content.
The collective authors are exceptional in their presentation of information throughout: Every chapter exhibits an articulate, yet conversational style of writing, providing conceptual understanding and guidelines for application with ease. This book achieved Hill's purpose of providing both guidance and tools for the application of assessment and evaluation practices that are directly transferable to other adult educational settings. For example, in chapter 7, “Assessment and Evaluation in Human Resource Development,” Hill, Rouse, and Gaudet discuss “performance feedback” as an assessment practice that can be used to measure employee capability, competence, efficiency, and effectiveness. They describe the purpose (a tool used to improve individual and organizational effectiveness), challenges (e.g., ensuring that feedback is supported by organizational policy and organizational culture), and guidance (e.g., emphasize problematic employee behavior over personal weakness) to ensure this tool is constructive (p. 117). This presentation of concise yet insightful information leverages an ease of utilization and direct application of assessment practices for practitioners and administrators.
As a graduate student, the authors’ approach of illustrating the diverse contexts within adult education and describing the purpose and use of assessment and evaluation practices across the field was most insightful. The content of this book enhanced my ability to judge the appropriateness of using specific assessment instruments for certain adult learner populations. Graduate students and practitioners bring with them diverse career aspirations and career paths. This book encapsulates the diversity of adult learning environments while elucidating the necessity and application of assessments and evaluations across each of these contexts. Considering this heightened level of inclusivity, this book may serve as foundational knowledge, pertinent for conducting assessments and evaluations in adult educational settings.
Recommendation
Though the intended audience was stated to be new administrators and seasoned professionals, I would additionally recommend this book suitable as graduate–level course material. Exposure to the arguably unethical, biased, and misguided elements that are often embedded within learner assessment is critical for the graduate level scholar; to combat such inequities, she must understand and interrogate the historical and current discourses in assessment and evaluation within adult education. The following qualities were most notable: (1) the accessible and comprehensive background of assessment and evaluation in adult education, (2) the application of assessment and evaluation in various contexts of adult education, and (3) current issues and challenges to both consider and address for the future creation and application of assessment and evaluation.
This book contributes to the comprehensive understanding of challenges, application, and supposed purpose of assessment and evaluation in various contexts of adult education. The foci of the concluding chapters discuss application of assessment and evaluation (in which supports advocacy of meaningful learning and adult education programs) and approaches of instrument creation and implementation in higher education (which aims to fulfill quality assessment of student learning), leveraging this piece of literature as a useful resource for those new to or entering the field.
Regarding contributions to practice, the authors explicitly state the need for educators to use assessment and evaluation meaningfully, with intention to support and advocate for students and meaningful learning throughout the book. Through a breadth of content, they express how assessment can support meaningful adult learning (e.g., supporting “learner self–efficacy, self–direction, critical thinking and personal development” via effective assessments) (p. 232) alongside how to create such instruments to achieve this goal. This content specifically speaks to the authors’ implicit contribution to practice, making this literature appropriate for anyone aspiring to a career in adult education, as well as active practitioners and administrators responsible for any or all aspects of assessment and evaluation.