Navigating Learning and Testing

What was the last time you took a hard test? A test where you truly had to demonstrate your competence and were given a clear score? 

If you’re like me, a professional many years into a career, that may be hard to answer. Unless you are in a technical field where periodic new certifications are expected, it is rare to truly be tested at work. You might get indicators of success, such as how your department, company or institution is doing based on some aggregate measures, the results of an annual review, or a 360 assessment, but these are not the same thing. 

I recently completed my Royal Yachting Association Day Skipper Theory Course, and it gave me reason to consider this question. The course requires 40 hours or more of intensive study (with prior sailing experience required), with periodic tests of practical knowledge and a final day-long assessment. It was a rigorous process, which is good considering a licensed skipper is responsible for their crew and vessel. For me, this was the first time in many years, maybe even since university, where I followed this clear path of study and assessment. Doing so brought back a few observations. 

Motivation is Important

There is no way I would have put in the work to complete this course without a high degree of motivation. It was not cheap, required many evenings and weekends of study, and really made me think hard (and do a lot of math). What motivated me was that I want to really know enough to keep my family and others safe where we are at sea. I also value that being a licensed skipper will allow me to captain boats around the world, and in a world where bluster often takes the place of competence, proves actual mastery. 

This makes me think about our expectations for staff. What motivation do they have, or are we giving them, to learn new things? 

Good Tools are Really Important 

If you are plotting a course on a chart (what you landlubbers call a map), the quality of all your tools is critical. Before GPS, it might have even been a matter of life or death. The chart, your plotter, dividers, tide tables and work surface each have a margin of error and they tend to compound. If each is not of high quality, then the result suffers and you might miss your mark and end up on the rocks. 

As a leader or manager, how much do you focus on giving your staff good tools? How about their workspace?

Getting a High Score Feels Good

A little ways into this course I really started to get a kick out of completing the quizzes. There was a delightful moment of anticipation after I filled in my calculations and pressed the “submit” button. When a 100% result returned, I felt real elation and accomplishment. As the leader of organizations, I rarely get feedback that clear, or directly. 

How might we improve or organizations to give more feedback like this? More, meaningful, high scores? 

Tests Can Be About Test Taking 

This revelation really took me back to school days. I never worked very hard as a student, but always did well on exams. I learned early on how to be a good test taker. My academic success hinged on this, and yet as a result I missed out on a lot of actual learning. The hands-on parts of this course were great because you really had to know how to do the work in order to pass. On the other hand, your score on many other parts of the assessment relied on being a good test taker. Being a good test taker is it’s own skill, and not one widely taught, and often impacted by race and class. 

How might the assessment tools we use in the workplace also be influenced by gender, race, and class? How might we assess more based on true competence? 

Completing this course has given me lots to think about, and has also made me realize the importance of truly putting ourselves in the position of a student again. It’s given me more empathy for my daughter as she starts her school career, and has also renewed my concerned about the gap between testing and real learning.