Step 1 - Establish the competencies you wish to address

There are a number of different ways to identify competencies that require further development. They can either be established informally (e.g. by asking a colleague or objectively assessing yourself against the CIEA Professional Framework) or formally (e.g. via a formal appraisal or annual review).

As we have already seen, Patricia wanted to improve one team member's skills in preparing for assessment, whilst for another, she wanted to improve her skills of feeding back, both to the learner and to the rest of the department

Step 2 - Locate the competency area within the CIEA Professional Framework

In order for you to use this Compendium  effectively you should locate the competency that needs to be addressed within the CCIEA Professional Framework.

It may be worth visualising the CCIEA Professional Framework as a road map. You have already located your starting point (i.e. the particular assessment-related area you wish to address or improve upon) and the Framework will act as your route to establishing the particular function and/or competency (or related set of competencies) that needs to be addressed.

Patricia pointed one member of her team to the section Preparing for Assessment; the other was pointed in the direction of Feeding Back after Assessment.

Step 3 - Access the Compendium and start addressing your skill gap(s) and/or development need(s)!

Once you have located the particular function and associated competency area(s) contained within the CIEA Professional Framework you will be in a position to use the Compendium effectively.

• Simply click on the relevant assessment function contained in the sub-navigation menu (on the left side of the screen)

Each competency page includes the following useful information:

• CIEA Good Practice Advice - Advice on how to address the specific competency is included in this section. It may be that you wish to improve your skills in preparing for assessment. Click on Preparing for Assessment in the sub-navigation on the left and this will show further sub-divisions, namely, making assessments fit for purpose, or interpreting the assessment requirements of a task, or designing assessment instructions and criteria, or advising and training other assessors. The "road map" will take you in the specific direction you wish to follow.
• CIEA Resources - Lists the internal resources that may help to address the particular competency. You will have determined the specific competency in step  one. You have now located the first steps on your route. 
• Other resources - Lists the resources available from other organisations that may help you to address the particular competency. You will now be in a position to look for a wealth of resources that may help you to improve this particular skill.

This compendium was formulated with the help of CIEA Members involved in vocational assessment. It is envisaged that this resource will continually be added to and refined, so if you would like to contribute (and be personally referenced) to this tool please forward your suggestions to info@ciea.org.uk

Disclaimer: 'Other resources' contained in this Compendium are merely suggested and should not be seen as accredited products or services provided by the CIEA.

The advice contained in this Compendium was formulated solely by a Vocational Assessor Focus Group (comprised solely of CIEA members) and was correct as of September 2006.

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