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Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:
In what situations might a credentialing test be suitable?
What are the main characteristics of a good credentialing test?
What are the different forms of credentialing?
What is the difference between credentialing and accreditation?
What are the phases in the development of a sound credentialing program?
How long does it typically take to develop a sound credentialing test?
How much does it cost to develop a sound credentialing test?
Which assessment tool is most appropriate for credentialing purposes?
Who develops questions for the test?
What is the role of professional testing consultants?
In what situations might a credentialing test be suitable?
- Regulators with a statutory duty to protect the public rely on mandatory licensure tests for new entrants to the profession
- Professional associations desirous of recognizing specialized competence in professional practice rely on certification tests to assess that competence and
- Public and private sector organizations rely on a variety of assessment tools, including tests, to ensure that individuals have continuing competence in their work.
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What are the main characteristics of a good credentialing test?
- Valid – measuring what it is specifically designed to measure. For example, suppose a test is designed to measure only knowledge of a specific content area. If the amount of time allocated is too short for most candidates then, in addition to the designed purpose, the test is unintentionally measuring the speed at which candidates can complete the test.
- Reliable – the ability of repeated assessments to measure with consistency and precision candidate ability in some specified area.
- Fair – the test and the testing process (before, during and after the test) should allow all candidates equal opportunity to demonstrate their ability in relation to what is being assessed.
- Defensible – the development of the test and the testing process should be transparent, well documented and adhere to established testing standards at each stage.
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What are the different forms of credentialing?
Credentialing is the process of granting a credential (i.e., a designation) which indicates competence in a subject or professional discipline. There are three forms of individual credentialing:
- Licensure
- Certification
- Registration
Licensure is the most restrictive form of credentialing and refers to the granting of a licence by a governmental or
delegated (e.g., regulatory) body to practise a profession. The primary purpose of licensure is to protect the
health, safety and welfare of the public by restricting practice of the profession to individuals who possess the
knowledge, skills and abilities required to do so safely and competently.
Certification typically refers to an earned credential awarded by a private sector, non-profit, professional association
or independent board to those members who, through an assessment process, demonstrate mastery/competence of knowledge and
skills required by that profession. Although the process used to develop a certification program can be as rigorous as that for a licensure program,
certification is distinguished from licensure because it is generally non-governmental and voluntary.
Certification programs are also to be distinguished from certificate programs. A certificate is generally awarded as
evidence of completion, usually of an educational course as opposed to a standardized assessment process.
Registration is the least restrictive form of credentialing. It is typically a mandatory process that only
requires individuals to apply for use of a professional title through the appropriate governmental or private
agency. Unlike licensure and certification, it usually does not require individuals to demonstrate their
competence prior to being granted the credential.
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What is the difference between credentialing and accreditation?
Credentialing (licensure and certification) is concerned with evaluating persons, whereas accreditation is
concerned with evaluating organizations or educational institutions or programs.
Accreditation is broadly defined as a voluntary, self-regulatory process by which governmental,
non-governmental, voluntary associations or other statutory bodies grant formal recognition to programs
or institutions that meet stated quality criteria. Educational programs or institutions obtain accreditation
based on having the required infrastructure, resources and processes to carry out their prescribed roles.
Unlike credentialing programs, accreditation does not evaluate the performance or ability of any individual, but
rather the educational program or institution as a whole. Students who graduate from an accredited educational
program may not possess all of the knowledge, skills and abilities required to pass a licensure or certification
test. Graduation from an accredited educational program does not necessarily mean that a person is sufficiently
trained in the key components tested on the credentialing test.
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What are the phases in the development of a sound credentialing program?
To ensure their validity, reliability, fairness and defensibility, the development of a sound credentialing program requires the rigorous application of specific processes and procedures at each phase of the development. Such phases may include:
- Competency development
- Test specifications
- Item writing
- Translation
- Item review
- Experimental testing
- Item analysis
- Item revision
- Standard setting
- Test administration
- Scoring and reporting.
This process is cyclical in the sense that new tests must be periodically redeveloped to ensure that the
competencies being assessed remain relevant (i.e., that they reflect current practice), and that the
security of the test content is maintained. This process also requires that experts in test development,
group facilitation, research, statistics and information systems management are involved in each stage of
the development process.
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How long does it typically take to develop a sound credentialing test?
Completion of all phases of test development according to accepted industry standards takes approximately 18 months.
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How much does it cost to develop a sound credentialing test?
The cost to develop a test varies widely and is influenced by factors such as the goals and resources of the professional organization, the level of consultation needed with
industry and content experts, the length of the test, the need for test translation and the item types
(multiple-choice, short answer and essay).
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Which assessment tool is most appropriate for credentialing purposes?
A wide range of assessment methods may be used in licensure and certification programs. Common assessment
tools include multiple-choice tests, short-answer tests, key features/case studies, work simulations,
portfolio assessments, structured interviews, supervisor evaluations and self assessments. Often, a
combination of these may be most appropriate. When selecting an assessment instrument, a variety of
factors should be considered, including:
- What is to be assessed
- Who is to be assessed
- Candidates' experience in assessment
- Cost of the assessment tool and
- The psychometric properties of the assessment tool.
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Who develops questions for the test?
Members of the profession who possess superior knowledge of the content and have a number of years of experience
in their field are selected by their organization as content experts. They are then trained by testing
consultants in the principles of good question writing and
review. They are then ready to develop and finalize questions for the credentialing test.
In fact, content experts are trained by professional testing consultants at each stage of the test development
process – competency development, test specifications, item-writing, item-review, test construction, translation,
standard setting and, where applicable as in short-answer or essay tests, scoring – to ensure that the
credentialing program is valid, reliable, fair and defensible.
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What is the role of professional testing consultants?
Professional testing consultants have the knowledge, training and experience to ensure that all phases of
the test development process are conducted according to established, industry standards, such as those set
out in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing referenced in the previous section under
'Standards'. This oversight is especially important if an external third-party accreditation of one or
more of its credentialing tests is desired.
Although at many stages of the test development process content experts provide critical input, there is
also the need for testing consultants to provide psychometric guidance, perform various statistical analyses
to evaluate the soundness of the credentialing program and to ensure general continuity in the development
cycle. At Canada’s Testing Company, our testing consultants are educated in statistics, measurement and/or
industrial/organizational psychology and have extensive experience developing and managing high-stakes
credentialing programs. In addition, as part of a larger organization, our testing consultants have
access to the resources of the entire organization to fully provide and support the broad range of clients’ credentialing needs.
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