The Impact of Elaborated Feedback on Competency Assessment of IT Professionals

Abstract

Feedback represents an important component in the process of assessing the competencies of the IT professionals as it allows to evaluate their performance and helps their managers to personalize the learning content according to employees' needs and profiles. In the current paper we propose a computer-based formative feedback framework that provides personalized feedback for the technical employees. Extensive research has been carried out focusing on formative assessment aspects that includes the elaborate feedback. An online competency assessment tool was designed and it is going to be implemented in order to measure the professionals' performance in software organizations. The subjects of the study are going to be software developers, working in departments of IT Romanian companies. Their performance is going to be evaluated through the competency-based assessment tool. At the end of the assessment process, an elaborate feedback is provided in order to improve their current level of competency acquired. The current paper reveals the role of the computer-based formative assessment within software organizations as well as the importance of an elaborate feedback that can improve the employees' knowledge and skills.Keywords: Elaborated Feedback, Formative Assessment, IT Competency, IT Professionals1 IntroductionNowadays the computer-based formative assessment is considered a component of modern education. It is not used only in selfassessment processes, but also in complementing the traditional methods of evaluations of the employees' performance.The IT competency assessment is be used to measure and appraise technical employee performance. Assessments are often used to formulate judgments about performance in order to select, classify or certify and is known as summative assessment. Assessments can also be contribute to employee learning, which is referred to as formative assessment.The purpose of formative competency assessments is to conduct learning activities by generating feedback on employees' performance. Feedback is an important part of the assessment process as it allows employees and managers to take actions to improve the current level of acquired competencies.Feedback provides to the employees the information that can be used to close the gap between actual performance and desired levels of performance. In this study, feedback is defined as information about the actual state of competency level that employees possess, which is provided after responding to a testlike event. Computer-based formative assessment is considered effective by improving the competencies of the employees and providing the individualized feedback independent of time or place.The aim of the feedback is to provide information about the current level of competency acquired (skills and knowledge) and as well to improve the employee' learning in order to be more competitive and in line with the organizational goals.In this paper we present the results of an experimental study where we design and implement an elaborated feedback in a competency-based assessment tool that is going to evaluate the IT competencies of the technical employees that are working in Romanian IT organizations. The results of our study outlines the advantages of taking into account the elaborated feedback at the end of the assessment process.2 Theoretical Framework2.1 Computer-based Formative AssessmentThe computer-based formative assessment stimulates and provides direct learning by providing a feedback on actual performance. The feedback informs the IT professionals about the actual state of performance, how it can be improved and how to bridge a performance gap [1].The main advantage of using computer-based formative assessment is that they can provide the individualized feedback independent of time or place [2]. When a large number of employees are taken the assessment, the automated provision of feedback is representing an optimal solution, improving the deadlines and workload pressure. …