Psychological Assessment Essay

Organisations landwide atomic number 18 currently facing increasing competition, price pressures and slowergrowth rates and in disposition to be successful, for many organisations, this prompts the need to unceasingly transplant to survive. Having the right employee fit-for-purpose is imp periodtive to the success of an organisation faced with such challenges. The subprogram of mental judgment is a key enabler for the appropriate selection and information of employees in the workplace to meet the constant changes in the internal and external economic and social environment (Bartram, 2004 Paterson &Uys, 2005).However, the nature and value of current day mental opinion needs to be prizeed as it faces many challenges, particularly in a siemens Afri open fire context that is influenced by political injustices of the past. mental campaign put on in southwestward Africa currently faces many challenges including the adaptation of turn ups in a multi ethnic context, lang uage, age and gender parapets and another(prenominal) quantity challenges (Foxcroft, 2004 Foxcroft, 2006).These challenges introduce unfavorable judgment of the virtue and honorable pr beices of psycho logical opinion and highlight the needfor enhancing fairness in legal opinion and developing equitable and indifferent psychological exams (Foxcroft, 2011 Paterson & Uys, 2005). In order to respond to these challenges, it is of the essence(p) to gain an discernment of how psychological judicial decisions have developed over the years so that meaningful changes can be made ((Foxcroft, Roodt & Abrahams, 2005).It is of import to reflect on the history and study of psychological judgment as it helps explain how and why it is currently practiced, it allows for critical analysis of psychological sound judgement, tell aparting the strengths and weaknessesof tests used right away and provides lessons to be learned from the weaknesses and injustices of past assessment practic es so that psychologists can develop new assessment joyrides and techniques and ensure fair and ethical social practices of psychological assessment (Gregory, 2000 Moerdyk, 2009).The perceptions of psychological assessment being unfair and biased argon slowly changing as improvements are made in the development of tests and in southwestward Africa this is closely linked to the developments and changes in legislation and the professional bodies that govern the control and use ofpsychological assessments (Mauer, 2000 Paterson & Uys, 2005).The objective of this discussion is to evaluate the nature and value of psychological assessment practices in the South African work context by critically reflecting on the historical developments that have shaped and influenced current psychological assessment, instruction onhow test use have been transformed by legislation, government and society and the challenges that exist for fair and unbiased psychological assessment in South Africa. Finall y, the slipway in which fairness and bias in testing is currently being addressed and the steps in developing further ethical practices ofpsychological assessment will be discussed.This discussion will also include an overview of psychological assessment learner NO 44674481 4 and clarification of central concepts such as psychometrics, testing, measurement and military rank, fairness and bias. 1. WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL sagaciousness? 1. 1. DEFINING PSYCHOLOGICAL mind Foxcroft & Roodt (2005, p. 4), define psychological assessment as a process-oriented activity spirited at conference a wide array of information by using assessment measures (tests) and information from many other sources.. in order to make inferences about benevolent behaviour.Shepard & Spalding (as cited in Setshedi, 2008) note that psychological assessments make use of standardised instruments, which, combined with other sources of information, are evaluated to inform some(a) intervention. 1. 2. THE DIFFERE NCE BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND RELATED TERMS Psychological assessment refers to the overall multidimensional process that uses tools (tests) and techniques for measurement and evaluation of human behaviour (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychological assessment can be distinguished from some related terms commonly used, such as, psychometrics, testing, psychometric testing,measurement and evaluation.1. 2. 1. Measurement and Assessment Measurement refers to the how much in an assessment. When doing an assessment, psychologists use measurement to ascribe values or numbers to a phenomenon against certain criteria or standardized norms, following predefined directs (Moerdyk, 2009). Measurement therefore helps in gathering information to add to the holistic assessment of a phenomenon. 1. 2. 2. Evaluation and Assessment Evaluation refers to interpreting or attaching a judgemental value to an assessment (Moerdyk, 2009, p. 4).In otherwords, evaluation refers to reaching conclusions a bout the measurement outcomes (Moerdyk, 2009). Thus evaluation forms part of the process of the overall assessment. STUDENT NO 44674481 5 1. 2. 3. psychometrics and Assessment psychometrics is the subfield of psychology that refers to the use of scientific methods, theory and techniques used in psychological measurement (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychologists base their assessments on these scientific ways of measurement in an attempt to learn more about or predict behaviour. Thus psychological assessment is informed by the study of Psychometrics (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005).1. 2. 4. Testing and Assessment Testing refers to the use of a tool (for example, psychometric tests, scales, or instruments) to inform decision making (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005 Moerdyk, 2009 Patterson & Uys, 2005). Tests are not used in isolation but as part of the big process of assessment in order to make fair and informed decisions. Patterson & Uys (2005) argue that assessment is the overall process which inclu des testing, but more than testing, it implies the holistic evaluation based on test results and other information from other assessment methods. 1. 2. 5. Psychometric Testing and Assessment.Psychometric testing refers to testing based on psychometric theory and practices and is mainly used in industries for recruitment, selection and counselling purposes (Gregory, 2000). According to van der Merwe (2002), psychometric testing can be a useful tool in making decisions about management of employees and if used appropriately with insight and sensitivity it can compose one of the most effective ways in predicting behavior that is not surfaced during screening interviews.In South Africa psychometric testing is regulated by the Employee Equity Act of 1998 which prohibits the useof psychometric tests or assessments unless it proves to be scientifically valid and reliable, is fair and free from bias (Foxcroft et al, 2005).1. 3. THE USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT Psychologists use techniqu es and tools in assessment in attempts to gain a best understanding of human behaviour, to describe certain phenomenon, as wellspring as topredict future behaviour. Psychological assessments are also used to identify and plan interventions to change behaviour and in decision making (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005 Moerdyk, 2009). Some of the main areas of assessment are cognitive, behavioural and personality assessment (Moerdyk, 2009).1. 4. THE VALUE OF PSYCHOLIGICAL ASSESSMENT IN sedulousness Organisations benefit from psychological assessments as it aids in making clear and informed decisions in managing STUDENT NO 44674481 6 human resources. Bartram (2004, p. 238) highlights the value of assessments in personnel selection enabling organisations to act two tactically and strategically to increase their effectiveness. Psychometric tests make it possible for organisations to measure attributes that cant easily be assessed at face value but that whitethorn be crucial in job behaveance, such as personality and leading assessments (Moerdyk, 2009).Assessments are also used to measure work performance to identify training needs (Moerdyk, 2009), management and leadership assessments to inform development plans (Bartram, 2004), as well as assessments to improve employee wellness (Moerdyk, 2009). Assessments can also inform career counselling needs, career and organisational development plans, and research (Moerdyk, 2009). 2. FAIRNESS AND BIAS IN federation AFRICAN CONTEXT From the above it is clear that there is a need for psychological assessments in the workplace for organisations and individuals to benefit from human resource management.However psychological assessment practices over the years have drawn attention to bias in testing and fairness and ethical issues in assessment. The developments of psychological testing and assessment practices in South Africa will be further discussed to show how historically assessments have been unfair and bias and how this has been addressed in current practices. First it is crucial to clarify what is meant by fairness and bias in testing and assessment.2. 1. THE CONCEPT OF FAIRNESS AND BIAS predetermine can be defined as the general error in measurement or research that affects one group (e. g. career, age, andgender) more than another (Moerdyk, p. 261). In the work context this cognitive content that the psychometric tests that are administered to people need to measure what its supposed to measure and it needs to be consistent and systematic in measurement a broom different groups. Bias in testing can be controlled through the use of statistical procedures or other objective measures (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005 Moerdyk, 2009). impartiality refers to the equitable nature of the psychological assessment processes and procedures and the lack of bias in testing methods and interpretation.Fairness is both subjective and contextual as can be seen in South Africa wherethe use of approving action is used i n human resource practices to address discrimination in past assessment practices. To be fair to previously disadvantaged groups it has become necessary to select and develop employees that score lower on tests. This raises the debate of whether the previously advantaged groups are now being unfairly treated.There is the option of treating both groups fairly, however it does not resolve the unfair, bias and discriminatory practices of the past (Moerdyk, 2009). STUDENT NO 44674481 7 both(prenominal) fairness and bias are important in psychological assessment in South Africa and are governed and regulated at theindividual (practitioner) level, through professional bodies as well as through legislation. Fairness and bias in assessment has been a challenge in South Africa and has been shaped and influenced particularly by the political ideologies through time.These challenges in fair and unbiased testing and the development of psychological test methods inSouth Africa will now be furth er explored. 2. 2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. 2. 1. Early pulmonary tuberculosis (Pre-Apartheid Era) of Psychological Assessments The early developments of psychological assessments in South Africa were introduced in the twentieth century andfollowed closely with the developments internationally (Painter & Terre Blanche, 2004).The psychological tests that were introduced at the time in the country were largely influenced by the political context (Foxcroft et al, 2005). South Africa was a British colony and thus the psychological tests used were influenced by the political ideologies of the British rule and focused on assisting in the regulation of differential treatment (Louw, 2002). Most of the tests that were administered were for whites only and were based on either adaptations of international tests (e. g. Stanford-Binet adaptation) or weredeveloped specifically for use in South Africa (e. g. South African Group Test).Other example s include the study by Fick, who measured intellectual abilities across different race groups using tests that was standardized for whites and concluded that whites had superior intellect. This study influenced the Bantu Education system but the limitations of the study were also highly criticised (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Thus in this era of British colonial rule, tests in South Africa were biased, discriminatory against other races and psychological assessments ignored the influence of other social factors ontest performance such as poverty, language, culture, etc. (Claassen, 1997 Foxcroft et al, 2005 Louw, 2002).2. 2. 2. Development of Tests During the Apartheid Era In the early 1900s the political rule in South Africa was based on laws of segregation (apartheid) which believed that blacks and whites were different and should be treated differently (Claassen, 1997 Louw & van Hoorn,1997). Thus, most of the tests that were used supported the regulation of legislature that encouraged such thinking (Foxcroft et al, 2005 Louw & van Hoorn, 1997). Between the two world wars, research started to focus on understanding the Native andpsychology aimed to support the government and apartheid rule (Louw & van Hoorn, 1997). After the Second World War, assessments focused on suitable placements of blacks in the workplace, and tests such as the world(a) Adaptability STUDENT NO 44674481 8 Battery (GAB) were used. In this era, tests were used without adapting to South African norms, on whites, such as the Otis Mental Ability Test (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Between the 1960s and 1990s institutes were formed (National Institute for Personnel Research, Institute for Psychological and Edumetric Research) as well as changes in legislation were made to regulate the administration ofpsychological assessments.The Health Professions Act 56 of 1974 regulated that only psychologists were allowed to administer psychological assessments. radical changes in the socio-political situation star ted in the 1980s and apartheid rules started to soften. Different races started to compete for positions in the workplace and this raised concerns about the test measures that were being used. Tests such as the General Scho bearic Aptitude Test (GSAT), the Ability Processing of Information and Learning Battery (APIL-B) and the Pencil and Paper Games were introduced to address these concerns.The Pencil and PaperGames was made available in all 11 languages in South Africa to address bias and application in a multicultural context. These tests however we criticised as it was based on remote norms. As the apartheid regime came to an end, psychological assessment was held under much scepticism and negative perceptions were developed because of the discriminatory nature and use of tests at that time (Foxcroft et al, 2005 avant-garde de Vijver & Rothman, 2004). 2. 2. 3. Development of Tests in Post Apartheid Era After the abolition of the apartheid era, South Africa became a country based on democracy and radical changes weremade in political policy and legislation to address the wrongs of the past (Foxcroft et al, 2005).Psychological assessment was held under much criticism and the changes in constitution and legislation lead to a major shift in the approach of testing in South Africa. Some of the issues that were highlighted in the practices of testing during the apartheid era were the discriminatory use of tests, the lack of pertinence in a multicultural context creating bias, as well as other ethical issues such as the use of inappropriate norms and standards (Foxcroft et al, 2005).The changes in politics will now befurther discussed to show how it addressed the above issues and regulates fair, ethical and unbiased assessments in current society. 2. 3. ENHANCING FAIRNESS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. 3. 1. Changes in Constitution Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution addresses the Bill of Rights, which calls for democracy based on dignity , equality and freedom. Furthermore, Section 9 of the Bill of Rights states that no persons may be subject to unfair STUDENT NO 44674481 9 discrimination or unfairly discriminate unto others (Mauer, 2000).This means that no tests may be used to discriminateagainst any individual, group or institution and called for fair assessment approaches. Psychological assessments therefore are required to aim to eliminate any bias in testing.Thus a dynamic and multicultural assessment approach is necessary which encourages the development of culture-specific and culture-informed psychological practices for the various cultural groups in South Africa (Van de Vijver & Rothman, 2004). 2. 3. 2. The Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) The Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) (LRA) protects individuals against unfair labour practices and discrimination in theworkplace (Mauer, 2000).This has an impact on the ethical considerations of organisations when employing psychological assessments. Joiner (2000) pro vides guidelines for fair and ethical practices in psychological assessment which ensures that psychologists take responsibility in assessments protecting the rights of individuals, treating individuals fairly, and not misusing the information from test results. Both the constitution and LRA address unfair discrimination and allow for fair discrimination if it can be proven that the discrimination is fair. 2. 3. 3. The function Equity Act (55 of 1998)The physical exertion Equity Act (55 of 1998) (EEA) enforces fair, unbiased and equitable practices in psychological testing by regulating the requirements of tests. The Act clearly states that psychological testing and other forms of assessment is prohibited unless it can be scientifically proven to be valid and reliable, can be applied fairly and is unbiased to any employee or group. The impacts of this act means that psychological tests need to be cross-culturally applicable (Foxcroft et al, 2005).Foxcroft (2004) highlights the nee d for more tests to be developed in South Africa that can be usedin a multicultural context. Organisations need to take cognisance of the above legislation that regulates fair and unbiased practices of assessment and should aim to practice testing ethically by ensuring that the rights of individuals are protected, the processes of assessment is fair, confidentiality of individuals is protected, individuals are given feedback to assessments, and the outcomes of assessment is not harmful to the individuals (Moerdyk, 2009). In line with the LRA the EEA also allows for fair discrimination in employment, specifically approving action if used inaccordance with the Act.It also allows for fair discrimination in employment based on criteria that are inherent to the job which means that the assessment tools used to assess individuals need to assess evidence of these criteria. 2. 3. 4. Professional Bodies Other bodies such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the Profess ional Board of psychological science STUDENT NO 44674481 10 and the Board for Personnel Practitioners govern the practice of psychological assessment in South Africa to ensure fair and ethical approaches in psychology (Moerdyk, 2009 Wassenaar, 1998).Psychological tests can only be administered by individuals professionally registered with the HPCSA, which provides professional guidance and advice for the use of psychological assessments (form 208). The HPCSA regulates the training of professionals, the development of psychological tests and the use of psychological tests. 2. 4. ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAIR AND UNBIASED ASSESSMENT MEASURES 2. 4. 1. Steps in Test Development To address some of the issues in fairness and bias in testing, Foxcroft (2004) has identified some critical steps in developing tests, particularly for a multicultural context.These include (a) Defining the purpose of the test and the intended objective lens population This involves outlining what is being t ested, how the outcomes of the tests will be used and specifying that the test can be used in a multicultural setting. This implies that the test developer needs to identify aspects of the constructs that are common and unique across the groups being tested. The test developer should also identify the characteristics of the target population (such as educational status) and also identify the characteristics that may impact on test performance(such as language) (Foxcroft, 2004).One of the major challenges in assessment in South Africa at the moment is language. In South Africa there are eleven official languages, and although English is the commonly accepted business language, psychologists need to ensure that in administering tests language is not a barrier in test performance. Translation of tests into different language is complex and makes the validity of constructs vulnerable (Foxcroft, 2006). (b) Defining the construct and creating a set of test specifications to guide situati on writingThis step refers to identifying the specific observable measures that will be tested.This can be derived from a job analysis which highlights the key noesis, skills, abilities and other attributes required to perform a job successfully. It is important in a multicultural test that the norms and values across the different cultural groups for a specific construct are identified upfront so as to eliminate the construct bias. The constructs being measured need to also be of value and have meaning to the test user. Language is often a barrier in the meaning of a construct across multicultural groups andresearch also indicates that in South Africa some groups attach political meanings to some constructs which can impact on test performance.Developing the content and specifications of the test is dependent on the methods used to develop the test, which can be theory-based (this means that the theory used needs to be applicable in a multicultural context), empirical (this implie s that for a multicultural context the criterion being measured need to only discriminate on the specific criterion and not on other variables) or criterion-referenced (this implies that the development of the crossSTUDENT NO 44674481 11 cultural criterion need to be developed by a panel representing the different cultural groups).The different specifications and dimensions of tests should accordingly be tabulated (Foxcroft, 2004). (c) Choosing the test format and item format, specifying the administration and scoring methods In choosing the best method to present a test it is important that the tools (paper vs. computer), the format in which it is presented (multiple choice, diagrams, etc) and the response methods (verbal, written, etc) take into account the capability and familiarity across the different cultural groups.The administration and the scoring methods should also be fair across cultural groups (Foxcroft, 2004). Moerdyk (2009) identifies septette key steps in test deve lopment. The first step conceptualising involves identifying what phenomenon is trying to be understood. The second step is identifying the observable measures of the phenomenon (operationalising). The third step involves quantifying the observable measures. This requires content validity, distracters and a response set.The next step involves a pilot session of the test. By administering the test to a pilot group that is arepresentation of the final exam test group, the opportunities for improving the test can be identified. Once the test is administered to the pilot group the next step is to conduct an item analysis and the correlation of items identified. The item analysis can then be used to revise the test and compile the final test (what is known as validity shrinking). The last step is to develop a set of norms that can be used to measure the responses against for interpretation (Moerdyk, 2009).Lastly, the test needs to be published and the HPCSA provides guidelines for test development to ensure fair and ethicalstandards are met. De beer (2006), research findings indicate that for a South African multicultural and multilingual context the need for dynamic assessment is important as it accounts for differences across cultural groups as well as identify opportunities for further development. Other issues that are challenging to psychologists are the influence of other factors such as age, gender, socio-economic status, environment and cultural differences on test performance (Moerdyk, 2009).Some considerations for the future of assessment in South Africa are the use of engineering science advances in testing (artificialintelligence), the need to develop more culture specific tests, and the need for fair and ethical practices of psychometric testing (Moerdyk, 2009). 2. 4. 2. Core Characteristics of psychometric test Some of the core characteristics that psychometric tests should adhere to can be summarized as follows ? It is based on standardized procedu res and methods of assessment ?It makes use of norms, comparing individuals performance against a category or norm group ? It is scientifically proven to be valid (i. e. , it measures what it says), and reliable (the consistency and accuracy ofSTUDENT NO 44674481 12 amount instruments) ?It can be applied in various institutions (health, education, occupation, etc. ) and the measures can be cross- culturally adapted with minimal test bias ? It can be fairly administered to all individuals groups and organisations (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). In South Africa psychometric testing is regulated by the Employee Equity Act of 1998 which prohibits the use of psychometric tests or assessments unless it proves to be scientifically valid and reliable, is fair and free from bias (Foxcroft et al, 2005). 3.CONCLUSIONFrom the above discussion it can be concluded that an understanding of the developments of psychological assessment is imperative to understanding the value in current society and in hi ghlighting aspects to focus on change. In the past, psychological tests developed were used internationally in psychological assessments despite the differences in culture and language. This produced issues of bias and unfairness, as can be seen in misuse of assessments in the apartheid era in South Africa (Foxcroft et al, 2005). For a persistent time psychological tests in South Africa were perceived as unfair andunjust (Sehlapelo & Terre Blanche, 1996).However, with the political changes in government and legislature ( such as the Employment Equity Act 1998) , the introduction of governing bodies (such as HPCSA) and the changes in ideologies (a move toward a dynamic approach in assessment), psychological assessment has progressed toward a more fair and ethical practice that is slowly changing these perceptions (Mauer, 2000). Challenges still do exist, however, in producing tests that can be applied in such a diverse country that has 11 official languages, and a vast number of cu ltural groups aswell as moving toward testing using the advances in technology.STUDENT NO 44674481 13 4. REFERENCES Bartram, D. (2004). Assessment in organisations. Applied Psychology An International check out, 53(2), 237-259. Claassen, N. C. W. (1997). Cultural differences, politics and test bias in South Africa. European Review of Applied Psychology, 4th trimester, 47(4), 297-307. De Beer, M. (2006). Dynamic testing practical solutions to some concerns. SA Journal of industrial Psychology, 32(4), 8- 14. Foxcroft, C. D. (2004). Planning a psychological test in the multicultural South African context.SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32 (4), 8-14. Foxcroft, C. D. (2006). Critically examining language bias in the South African adaptation of the WAIS-III. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32, p. 97-102. Foxcroft, C. D. (2011). Ethical issues related to psychological testing in AfricaWhat I have learned (so far). Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(2). Retri eved 10 April 2014 from the World Wide Web http//dx. doi. org/10. 9707/2307-0919. 1022 Foxcroft, C. , Roodt, G. & Abrahams, F. (2005). Psychological assessment a brief retrospective overview. In Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (Eds.), An introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context (2nd ed. , pp. 8-23).Cape Town Oxford University Press. Foxcroft, C. , & Roodt, G. (2005). An overview of assessment definition and scope. In Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (Eds. ), An introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context (2nd ed. , pp. 3-7). Cape Town Oxford University Press. Gregory, R. J. (2000). Psychological testing History, principles and application (3rd ed. ). capital of Massachusetts Allyn & Bacon. Joiner, D. A. (2000). Guidelines and ethical considerations for assessment center operations.Public PersonnelManagement, 29(3), 315-331. STUDENT NO 44674481 14 Louw, J. (2002). Psychology, history and society. South African Journal of Psychology, 32(1), 1-8. Louw, J. & van Hoorn, W. (1997). Psychology, conflict, and peace in South Africa Historical notes. Journal of Peace Psychology, 3(3), 233-243. Mauer, K. F. (2000). Psychological test use in South Africa. Retrieved November 24, 2003 from the World Wide Web http. //sunsite. wits. ac. za/conference/psychology/pai1 Moerdyk, A. (2009). The principles and practices of psychological assessment. Pretoria Van Schaik. Painter, D. & Terre Blanche, M. (2004).Critical psychology in South Africa Looking back and looking forwards. Draft of a paper written for the Greek ledger Utopia, 24 February. Retrieved on 15 May, 2014, from http//www. criticalmethods. org/collab/critpsy. htm Patterson, H & Uys, K. (2005). Critical issues in psychological test use in the South African workplace. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(3), 12-22. Sehlapelo, M. & Terre Blanche, M. (1996). Psychometric testing in South Africa Views from above and below. Psychology in Society, 21, 49-59. Setshedi, M. J. (2008). Investigating the use of psychological assessment in South African schools.Unpublished know Dissertation. Johannesburg University of Witwatersrand. Retrieved 10 April 2012 from the World Wide Web http//wiredspace. wits. ac. za/handle/10539/5927. Van de Vijver, A. J. R. & Rothmann, I. (2004). Assessment in multicultural groups the South African case. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 30(4), 1-7. Van der Merwe, R. P. (2002). Psychometric testing and human resource management. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 28(2), 77-86. Wassenaar, D. R. (1998). A history of ethical codes in South African psychology an insiders view.South African Journalof Psychology, 28(3), 135-145. STUDENT NO 44674481 15 5. SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 5. 1 70%. I feel I have understood the question and logic to the assignment. I have best understood the value of psychological assessment and the developments in South Africa and I feel I need to improve on how fairness can be enhanced in testing. 5. 2 Foxcraft & Roodt (2009) was most useful. I have used other journal articles for reference and examples such as other studies by by Foxcroft, as well as some internet references (example dissertation on the use of psychological assessment).5. 3. 2 months, approximately 1-2 hours nonchalant 5. 4. It is relevant in the working context as it provides an appreciation and understanding of the value of psychological assessment as well as creates awareness of the challenges and opportunities for fairness and ethical practices in assessment 5. 5. Yes. It provides guidelines on how tests should be used, where it should be used, what aspects to consider in test development, what are the governance systems in place for fair and ethical testing, what challenges and opportunities exist for further development. 5. 6.I would like to improve my knowledge in referencing techniques, logical and systematic application of work. I would like to improve on my knowledge of dynamic testing by reading more literatur e. 5. 7. The quality of material is very good, it provides clear guidelines gives one the opportunity to reflect on overall concepts and to assess quality of work. 5. 8. Yes the learning outcomes and assessment criteria was helpful in planning the assignment 5. 9. Yes the lecturer provided timeous guidelines and support on how to answer the questions as well as the important aspects to be covered in this learning outcome.