Self-assessment Process Research Articles

Conducting the Joint External Evaluation in Uganda: The Process and Lessons Learned.

Uganda is currently implementing the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), aiming at accelerating compliance to the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005). To assess progress toward compliance, a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) was conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on this evaluation, we present the process and lessons learned. Uganda's methodological approach to the JEE followed the WHO recommendations, including conducting a whole-of-government in-country self-assessment prior to the final assessment, using the same tool at both assessments, and generating consensus scores during the final assessment. The in-country self-assessment process began on March 24, 2017, with a multisectoral representation of 203 subject matter experts from 81 institutions. The final assessment was conducted between June 26 and 30, 2017, by 15 external evaluators. Discrepancies between the in-country and final scores occurred in 27 of 50 indicators. Prioritized gaps from the JEE formed the basis of the National Action Plan for Health Security. We learned 4 major lessons from this process: subject matter experts should be adequately oriented on the scoring requirements of the JEE tool; whole-of-government representation should be ensured during the entire JEE process; equitable multisectoral implementation of IHR activities must be ensured; and over-reliance on external support is a threat to sustainability of GHSA gains.

A multilevel framework to enhance organizational resilience

Organizational resilience is a capacity that emerges at multiple levels. Although the multilevel character of organizations has been generally acknowledged in existing organizational studies, there is a lack of theoretical and empirical studies that address how it affects organizational resilience. To adress this gap, this article offers a multilevel framework applicable to enhance organizational resilience and presents an empirical study to probe the impact of multilevel elements on organization's capacity for responding to critical situations. More specifically, the new framework will help an organization to enhance its resilience through a process of self-assessment on crisis preparedness and response capacity. This process will allow the organization to identify and remedy potential vulnerabilities in the interaction between its organs as well as environment. We argue that crisis management and organizational resilience are mutually shaped across multiple levels, from individual, organizational, to environmental. These multiple levels are operationalized operationalization in four phases: (1) reviewing and monitoring context, (2) testing preparedness, (3) analysing and assessing responses, and (4) strengthening capabilities. In these phases, we underline that resilience management requires continuous embracing of the dynamic processes within an organizational system and its environment. To validate the framework, we present an empirical study on a security organization, and describe the results to demonstrate how to utilise the tool in practice. In conclusion, we discuss how the multilevel framework can be further applied towards building stronger resilience management.

Effect of Strategy Training on Self-Awareness of Deficits After Stroke.

Self-awareness of deficits, or the ability to understand the effects of impairments on daily life, is often diminished after a stroke. Diminished self-awareness influences participation in rehabilitation and functional outcomes. To examine whether self-awareness of deficits changed over time after a stroke (N = 43) and whether metacognitive strategy training (n = 21) resulted in improved self-awareness compared with direct skill training (n = 22). Secondary analysis of data collected from a randomized controlled trial. Inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Adults with cognitive impairments after an acute stroke. Metacognitive strategy training is an approach in which clients are guided through a process of self-assessment and develop solutions for barriers to task performance. This approach was compared with direct skill training, in which the therapist provides specific instructions for task completion, removing the client-initiated assessment and problem-solving components. Self-awareness measures included the Self-Regulation Skills Interview and Self-Awareness of Deficits Interview at baseline and 3 mo and 6 mo after the intervention. We used a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to analyze change in self-awareness and a two-way ANOVA to examine differences between groups over time. There was a statistically significant and potentially meaningful difference over time in the self-awareness domain of strategy behavior, F(2) = 3.35, p = .039, but there were no differences in improvements between the metacognitive strategy and direct skill training groups. Self-awareness warrants further investigation to determine whether it improves naturally over time or through both interventions after stroke. Self-awareness of deficits, and the use of strategies in particular, may improve in the early stages of stroke recovery, but the optimal approach for intervention remains unclear.

Peer assessment effects on the self-assessment process of first-year undergraduates

Peers carry potential in enhancing students’ self-assessment development, but few studies have explored how peer scaffolding is enacted in the process. This qualitative study explores peer assessment effects on the self-assessment process of 11 first-year undergraduates and the factors limiting peer influence. Drawing on the data from students’ journals, follow-up interviews, observations of in-class formative peer assessment activities and teacher interviews, we ascertained that peers could aid the self-assessment process by enriching student understanding of quality, refining subjective judgement and deepening self-reflection. Yet, peer influence could be reduced by distrust, tensions in feedback communication, competition and lack of readiness for peer learning. Implications for effective use of peers in supporting self-assessment development are discussed.

Healthcare accreditation as trigger of organisational change: The view of professionals

BackgroundHealthcare accreditation seeks to promote the organisational change in healthcare organisations from an approach that values the level of progress achieved through a validated reference framework. The aim of this paper is to analyse the role played by accreditation through the experience perceived by health professionals during the process of self-assessment and external evaluation, taking into account three dimensions of analysis: focus on the patient, internal organisation and leadership, and impact on the clinical aspects of healthcare. Material and methodsDesign: Semi-structured interviews with key informants from clinical management units (CMU) within the Andalusian Health System (Spain). Participants: The key informants in each CMU were the clinical leader, the head of nursing and two health professionals (doctors and nurses). A qualitative research protocol was employed to conduct the semi-structured interviews (n=52 interviews) with physicians and nurses, in order to analyse their experience with the accreditation process. ResultsThe analysis identified four main outcomes related to the accreditation process perceived by professionals: (1) A benchmarking conceptualisation of the process; (2) Improvements in patient-centred care, quality of clinical records, and organisational culture of the units; (3) Improvement of patient safety culture; (4) As negative outcomes, a slight perception of bureaucratisation and standardisation of the clinical practice. ConclusionsThe described initiative of accreditation process in Andalusia (Spain) is widely perceived as positive by health professionals since it fosters the organisational change, although it also has a slightly negative bureaucratisation effect on clinical practice.

Muscularity and Strength Affect Individual Variation in Self-Perception of Fighting Ability in Men.

Objective: There is evidence that competitive conflicts are the main form of intrasexual competition among men. The capacity to recognize visual cues of fighting ability in competitors is thought to be an important characteristic that allows men to avoid the costs of contest competition. However, for an accurate comparison to take place, individuals need to compare the fighting ability of their competitors to their own to assess this asymmetry.Methods: In order to improve our understanding of this self-assessment process, here we study the relationship between visual fighting ability cues, namely (i) muscularity, as measured with a bioimpedance device, (ii) the real capacity to inflict cost to a rival based on strength, as measured with a hand grip dynamometer (HGS), and (iii) self-perceived fighting ability, as determined with a questionnaire. The study sample was 364 men between 18 and 38 years of age (M ± SD = 22.27 ± 3.99).Results: Our results confirm the expected positive relationship between upper-body muscularity and strength, while controlling for body mass index (BMI). However, muscularity explained only around 30.2% of the variance in strength. In addition, muscularity was related to self-perception of fighting ability in our sample, its effect being partially mediated by strength.Conclusion: The more muscular men perceive their fighting ability as being greater, and not only because they are stronger (at least in the HGS task). Accordingly, it seems that men take into account the overestimation the robustness of the relationship between strength and muscularity that prevails within his peers.

Self-assessment of an organisation according to the Polish Quality Award model on the example of an automotive company – self-assessment process, selected improvement actions

The purpose of this paper is to describe the characteristics of organizational self-assessment and its practical use in everyday life. The material presented discusses the process of performance measurement based on examples from the automotive industry. Focus was placed on the model requirements of the Polish Quality Award (PNJ), after the assessment results present the values in each area of the criteria, their potentials for improvement and examples of corrective actions are indicated. The examples contain solutions in the area of communication improvements and employee suggestion programs.

The effects of Solvency II on corporate boards: A survey on Italian insurance companies

Governance and the internal control system represent a fundamental pillar in the Solvency II Directive. In that context, the insurance companies’ board plays a key role in assuming new responsibilities and duties. The present work aims to examine the role of insurance companies’ boards in view of the important changes introduced by Solvency II. An empirical analysis is conducted on a sample of 102 Italian insurance companies. Three areas of investigation, size and composition, board self-assessment processes and board remuneration policies, are covered by the survey. The results show a satisfactory level of compliance of the boards with respect to the requirements established by Solvency II. There is still room for improvement as regards the level of disclosure and diversity. The paper contributes to deepen the understanding of Solvency II effects on the composition and functioning of insurance companies’ boards. In addition, the study provides, through the Italian case analysis, some indications on the likely future development of the insurance companies.

Designing Performance Assessment Instruments for Entrepreneurs in Embroidery Sector in Tasikmalaya, West Java Indonesia

This research develops performance assessment instruments based on multiple sources 360-degree feedback and multi-dimensional to measure the performance of SMEs in embroidery sector in Tasikmalaya. The topic of study is relatively new; as it adopts an employee performance appraisal model developed to assess the performance of SMEs.Stakeholder involvement is needed in the process of assessing the performance of SMEs so that the results of the assessment are more objective, such as: Koperindag Service, banking, CSR, supplier, distributor, customer, employee and self-assessment of the entrepreneur. Performance measurement indicators include: financial perspective, productivity, quality, service, innovation, personnel and self-character.The advantages of appraisal performance 360-degree feedback instruments lie on the process of self-assessment, feedback and measurement of personal characteristics of entrepreneurs. The feedback process is given by all assessors as inputs to improve the performance of SMEs as well as to improve the quality of decision making and accountability of owners. Data collection method is done by interview, expert judgment, FGD with stakeholders then drafting the performance appraisal instrument based on multi sources 360-degree feedback.
 Based on the distribution of questionnaires to 50 embroidery entrepreneurs and 50 maklon produced as follows: (1) Prepared instruments of performance appraisal of entrepreneurs andmaklun by involving Koperindag, Banking, Distributors, Suppliers, Employees and Consumers.(2) The results of validity and reliability are identified as follows: 9 items for financial perspective, 6 items of productivity perspective, 4 items of quality perspective, 5 service perspective items, 4 innovation perspective items, 4 personnel perspective items and 8 personal perspectives of entrepreneurs /maklun. Thus there are 40 items to measure the performance of entrepreneur / maklun embroidery in Tasikmalaya. (3) One way Anova test results known that the productivity of sig value is 0.000 or smaller than 0.05.It is concluded that there is a difference of productivity perception among businessmen, maklun, employees, cooperatives, banks, distributors, suppliers, employees and customers. (4) The result of kristkalwallis test is known that sig value for all variables is 0.000 or less 0.05. It is concluded that there are differences of perception about financial perception, quality, service, innovation, personnel and personal characteristics of business owner based on the opinion of eight respondent characteristics of entrepreneurs, maklun, employees, cooperatives, banks, distributors, suppliers, employees and customers.
 The final result of the research targeted the outcome of the appraisal performance instrument 360-degree feedback for SMEs so that the output as a social engineering in the form of integrated assessment system in the environment of Tasikmalaya embroidery sector. The outcome is as collaboration between human resource management and SMEs that are used as information or reference for Koperindag Service in bridging SME cooperation contract with bank, CSR, investor, training, soft loan, domestic/foreign promotion/exhibition opportunity and market expansion opportunity.

The Contribution of Learner Self-Assessment for Improvement of Learning and Teaching Process: A Review

The present study is a literature review of 37 empirical studies from Greece and internationally of the last decade and aims at investigating the contribution of learner self-assessment to: a. enhancement of learning motivation, b. improvement of academic performance/learning, c. development of self-regulating learning and d. raise of self-esteem. According to the findings, enhancement of learning motivation as an outcome of learner self-assessment process has been identified in Greek Higher education, in Secondary education in Physics and in Primary education in English, whereas internationally has been identified in Secondary education in English and Physical education. In Greece, improvement of academic performance/learning as an outcome of learner self-assessment has been found in Higher education, in Secondary education in Physics and in Primary education in English, whereas internationally at all levels of education, in almost all subjects of Secondary education and in Primary education in Language Arts, English and Mathematics. Development of self-regulating learning has been identified in Higher education in Greece and internationally, whereas in Secondary education in Geography and Geometry only internationally. Furthermore, raise of student’s self-esteem as an outcome of self-assessment has been found internationally, in Secondary education in Religious education and in Greek Primary education in English language learning. Moreover, self-assessment process has also been examined internationally in non-formal education where English is taught as a second language with positive outcomes in performance/learning. Finally, self-assessment is implemented through various practices and tools such as rubrics, checklist, scripts, think boards, reflective journals, mind maps and in combination with learning or teaching models.

Escuelas que tienen su propia voz. Experiencias de un proceso de autoevaluación en 30 instituciones educativas

El propósito de la investigación fue obtener una mejor comprensión de los procesos de autoevaluación escolar para lo cual se buscó comprender las vivencias y percepciones de los principales actores involucrados en un proceso de autoevaluación institucional. En este se ofreció la posibilidad de una construcción participativa del modelo de escuela, así como los indicadores e instrumentos de evaluación de la misma. Dicho proceso de autoevaluación tuvo una duración de dos años e involucró a 30 escuelas de diferentes niveles educativos. La información se recabó a partir de una encuesta y revisión documental. Los resultados del estudio mostraron que las personas están abiertas a colaborar y ser parte de procesos de autoevaluación y, además, que es necesaria la figura de un apoyo externo para el desarrollo de capacidades. También se descubrió que el incentivo económico es un elemento que puede contribuir para la adopción inicial; sin embargo, se corre el riesgo de generar dependencia de dicha motivación extrínseca.

Autopercepții ale inteligenței generale și emoționale și relația cu claritatea de sine

This article examines the role of self-concept clarity within the self-assessment of both general intelligence and emotional intelligence and the relation between the results of said tests and the self-concept clarity of participants. The objectives of this study are as follows: (1) the preliminary adaptation of the self-concept clarity scale for use with the Romanian population, (2) the reproduction of previous results concerning the correlations between the self-assessments of participants and the results obtained after psychometric testing on a Romanian sample, (3) research into the existence of a negative correlation between self-concept clarity levels and the errors of participants’ self-assessments and (4) the exploration of the relationship between self-concept clarity and the tests used in this study. The sample used in the study was composed of 157 participants that were assessed online with the self-concept clarity scale, were asked to self-assess their general and emotional intelligence levels and then took the GAMA (general intelligence), MSCEIT and EQ-i (emotional intelligence) tests. The results of the study indicate a significant relation between self-concept clarity and the GAMA, MSCEIT and EQ-i test results and encourage further research into the role of self-concept clarity in the self-assessment process.

EPHO self-assessment process in Slovenia (2017 – 2018)

EPHO self-assessment process in Slovenia (2017 – 2018)

EL USO DE PORTFOLIOS COMO INSTRUMENTO DE AUTOEVALUACIÓN EN EL PROCESO DE APRENDIZAJE DOCENTE DE LENGUAS EXTRANJERAS

The present research came about as a result of the need to develop students' ability for self-evaluation in the Foreign Languages Major at the University of Las Tunas from the first year of their training courses. Its purpose is to offer a set of procedures to introduce portfolios to enhance self-assessment and to contribute to the fulfillment of the goals established in the curriculum as well as to favor the students’ preparation to face their professional practice. In order to diagnose the students' specific needs and to elaborate the procedures suggested, different methods were used: analysis- synthesis to study the theoretical underpinnings of the process of self-assessment and the use of portfolios; observations, interviews and a survey to collect information about teachers' and students' attitudes and knowledge about self-assessment as well as some of its instruments.

Development of the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) self-assessment tool and process

BackgroundThe World Health Organization describes health literacy as a critical determinant of health and driver of citizen empowerment and health equity. Several studies have shown that health literacy is associated with a range of socioeconomic factors including educational attainment, financial position and ethnicity. The complexity of the health system influences how well a person is able to engage with information and services. Health organisations can empower the populations they serve and address inequity by ensuring they are health literacy responsive. The aim of this study was to develop the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness self-assessment tool (Org-HLR Tool), and an assessment process to support organisations with application of the tool.MethodsA co-design workshop with health and social service professionals was undertaken to inform the structure of the tool and assessment process. Participants critiqued existing self-assessment tools and discussed the likely utility of the data they generate. A review of widely used organisational performance assessment tools informed the structure and self-assessment process. The Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) Framework (with seven domains/24 sub-domains) provided the structure for the assessment dimensions of the tool. The performance indicators were drawn from raw data collected during development of the Org-HLR Framework.ResultsTwenty-two professionals participated in the workshop. Based on the feedback provided and a review of existing tools, a multi-stage, group-based assessment process for implementing the Org-HLR Tool was developed. The assessment process was divided into three parts; i) reflection; ii) self-rating; and iii) priority setting, each supported by a corresponding tool. The self-rating tool, consistent with the Org-HLR Framework, was divided into: External policy and funding environment; Leadership and culture; Systems, processes and policies; Access to services and programs; Community engagement and partnerships; Communication practices and standards; Workforce. Each of these had 1 to 5 sub-dimensions (24 in total), and 135 performance indicators.ConclusionsThe Org-HLR Tool and assessment process were developed to address a gap in available tools to support organisations to assess their health literacy responsiveness, and prioritise and plan their quality improvement activities. The tool is currently in the field for further utility and acceptability testing.

The role of reflective practice in professional development

Reflective practice (RP) is a process of critical evaluation and self-assessment whereby one deeply explores an event in order to learn from experiences, and consequently undertakes a change in perception or behaviour. RP can benefit practice through enhancing professionalism and encouraging self-directed learning (SDL). SDL is an important part of the lifelong learning undertaken by registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) who participate in ongoing continuing professional development (CPD). CPD is traditionally delivered using an input-based model, where the time in attendance of activities, such as lectures and seminars, are accrued. Although this model ensures a learning activity has been undertaken, it does not ensure any actual learning has occurred, and whether there has been a resultant increase in professional competency. As such, an outcome-based model of CPD has been proposed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) which includes planning, doing, recording and reflecting. The addition of RP to this new cycle ensures that RVNs explore the completed CPD activity more deeply, and consider what specific learning has occurred. This learning can then be measured as outcomes, which may include, for example, improvements to patient care, client service delivery, local processes, the wider organisation, or the management of staff or students. There have been concerns expressed within the profession about the proposed move to an outcome-based CPD model, including the increased time that measuring and recording outcomes will add to the process. If the implementation of this new model is to prove successful, these concerns will need to be addressed.

RISK MANAGEMENT SELF-ASSESSMENT IN QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

An integral part of any quality management system implemented in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 standard should be risk management that may negatively affect the level of achievement of quality objectives defined by the organization. One of the models that an organization can use when designing the risk management process as part of its quality management system is the model described in ISO 31000:2009 guidelines. The standard recommends, among other things, that the organization systematically assesses the effectiveness of the risk management process in order to identify the needs of its improvement. One of the methods that an organization can use to assess the effectiveness and maturity of the risk management process is self-assessment.The aim of the article is to present the possibility of consistent use of ISO 9004:2009 and ISO 31000:2009 guidelines to conduct self-assessment of risk management in quality management systems implemented based on the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 standard. The article discusses the process of risk management self-assessment, and also presents examples of criteria for assessing the maturity of the risk management process, which can be used by organizations to conduct self-assessment and interpretation of its results.

Understanding self-assessment in undergraduate dental education

The clinical teaching of undergraduate dentistry is based on a curriculum of desired learning outcomes and competencies in all domains such that graduates can practice autonomously. This report will consider how self-assessment (SA) fits into the continuum of assessment and its use by students and teachers in undergraduate dental education. The purpose of the report is to identify the process of SA. The literature is explored and uses, pitfalls and perceived benefits considered.

George Rochberg's Road toArs Combinatoria, 1943–63

AbstractGeorge Rochberg often attributed his postmodern shift to the death of his son in 1964. Accordingly, the literature has described his practice of ars combinatoria (“art of combination”) as an “abrupt about-face”—a sudden rejection of modernist aesthetics. But the composer's unpublished essays, diaries, correspondence, and musical sketchbooks suggest that the road to ars combinatoria had well-laid roots in two of his least considered biographical periods: his service during World War II and his serial period. During these two decades, Rochberg actively sought positive models for humanistic composition, historical figures who rose to the level of musical heroes in that they served humanity through their art. But as the war had taught him, heroes are necessarily defined by their struggle against nemeses in ethical conflicts. Correspondingly, he constructed the other side of the artistic world as a realm of vain egoists who sought self-promotion and seemed unconcerned with humanistic modes of expression. As his ideas matured, Rochberg assigned different figures to these archetypes, but the guiding ethical criteria remained fairly consistent throughout. I therefore argue that ars combinatoria was less a sudden aesthetic reversal than it was the result of a longer cumulative process of self-assessment and compositional maturation.

The Career Self Evaluation in Improving the Quality of Higher Education

The institutional self-evaluation is described as forming the basis of a pyramid, which has accreditation as the cornerstone, passing through external evaluation, it can be applied to higher education centers, careers, and programs. In this work the self-assessment of careers is analyzed, an instrument to identify strengths and weaknesses, its different stages and processes, taking as reference what has been described in the scientific literature. Regarding the accreditation process in some Latin American countries as well as the peculiarities of the self-assessment process of a health career at a university in Ecuador.