I.C.E. will host the following half-day workshops on Tuesday, October 24

Register

Protecting the Integrity of your Exam Program: How to Leverage Data Forensics and Take Action

Tuesday, October 24, 8:00 - 11:00 am MT

Presenters: Annette Bush ICE-CCP, MBA, BSN, RN, OCN, Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center; Isabelle Gonthier, PhD, ICE-CCP and Nicole Tucker, PSI Services; Frank Perna, CAE, ICE-CCP, National Association for Healthcare Quality

Locard’s principle on forensic evidence is summarized by the mantra “every contact leaves a trace.” While generally discussed in terms of physical evidence left at the scene of a crime, we can likewise state that when people interact with exams and exam questions in abnormal and fraudulent ways they are likely to leave traces of their acts, occurring as irregularities in their answer choices, score patterns, and response times. Data forensics for exam security is the use of statistical trends and analytics to detect these traces of fraudulent behavior. It has successfully been used to detect activity like proxy testing (when the exam is completed by someone other than the test taker), item pre-knowledge (access to active exam questions prior to taking the test), and exam site collusion.

Identifying suspected exam fraud and taking action as early as possible is a crucial component of exam security and the integrity of an exam program. This workshop will provide practical guidance on the types of analyses proven to detect cheating and procedures for identify associated exam questions, exam forms, and candidates for further investigative action. Analyses will range from simple statistical checks that can be easily implemented to more complex methods like score pattern and response similarity analysis. Examples will be presented of results consistent with normal testing behavior as well as results from confirmed incidences of test fraud.

The Future of Credentialing

Tuesday, October 24, 8:00 - 11:00 am MT

Presenters: Sara Blair Lake,  JD, CAE, International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners; Denise Roosendaal, FASAE, CAE, Institute for Credentialing Excellence; Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, PhD, CAE, ICE-CCP, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board; Bill West, MBA, ICE-CCP, Cornerstone Strategies

This year I.C.E. released the results of the Future of Credentialing study that had been conducted for three main purposes:

  • To examine the external drivers of change impacting the credentialing field.
  • To provide a forward-looking perspective to ensure the credentialing industry remains relevant and viable in the next decade.
  • To assist credentialing bodies with seeing the future more clearly and to inspire their own forward-looking perspective

Conducted by currentI .C.E. board members, this workshop will use the results of the study as a baseline for observations toward what is impacting current and future approaches to credentialing. Panelists will go beyond the study to share their key observations & experiences, focused on threats and opportunities in three main areas:

  • Business models: are we measuring, producing, and effectively communicating the value of certification in a way that industry understands?
  • Role of Government in Credentialing: how mandates or restrictions affect the use of credentials, how the divided environment is impacting our field
  • Technology. What will be the impact of AI, big data and blockchain on credentialing?
  • Social media: leverage, but watch out for influencers becoming unintended SMEs
  • Types of credentials: how use of a variety of types of credentials can more effectively serve our professions and expand our relationships, including lessons learned from higher education

The panel will provide insight and experience to understand the changing environment and what credentialing organizations can do to adapt and thrive. Come learn more about these findings and how you can use the information to challenge your thinking about the future of credentialing and maximize future opportunities and to mitigate the potential negative impact of these possible disruptions.

Multiple-Choice Item Writing 101

Tuesday, October 24, 8:00 - 11:00 am MT

Speakers: Lisa O'Leary, PhD and Corina Owens, PhD, Alpine Testing Solutions

This workshop is designed for professionals new to the credentialing field. The presenters will share fundamental concepts for how to support subject-matter experts (SMEs) in writing and reviewing items. Attendees will also learn strategies that can help streamline processes without sacrificing psychometric rigor.

Collecting and Using Customer Insights for Experience Innovation and Personalization

Tuesday, October 24, 1:00 - 4:00 pm MT

Speaker:Tamika Hughes, Pearson VUE and Leslie de Leon, Amazon Web Services

As organizations work to evolve their programs, it’s more critical than ever to understand the shifting needs and expectations of test-takers and other customers. Customer demand for more personalized experiences increasingly drive the need for more flexibility in learning, practice, and testing options.

Explore methods of gathering customer insights and perspectives. Gain understanding of how to leverage personalization and innovation to enhance customer experience. Throughout the workshop, participants will engage in hands-on exercises and group discussions that will enable them to apply the concepts learned to their own businesses.

Guidelines and Tips for Designing Technical Components of Assessment-based Certificate and Micro-credential Programs

Tuesday, October 24, 1:00 - 4:00 pm MT

Presenters: Joy Matthews-López, PhD,  JML Measurement and Testing Services, LLC

Assessment-based certificate (ABC) programs and micro-credentials play important roles within the credentialing space. Whether used as confirmatory tools in workforce development to attest to specific skills, as a steppingstone within a career track to provide evidence of mastery, or as an eligibility requirement for an academic or professional program to validate qualification to progress, ABCs and micro-credentials meet market needs that certification alone is not designed to meet.

This interactive workshop will focus on the development, design, and psychometric components of assessment-based certificate and micro-credential programs. For those that wish to seek accreditation, guidance will be provided on how to align program design and execution with aspects of the ICE1100 Standard. Handouts will outline tips for establishing a content validity argument, such as how to logically link together job/task analysis outcomes, a corresponding exam blueprint, and learning and assessment materials. Interactive exercises will allow participants to apply talking points with learning objectives while engaging in small group discussions.

What’s accommodations got to do with it? Subtle acts of exclusion in the test design process and how to fix them!

Tuesday, October 24, 1:00 - 4:00 pm MT

Presenters: Tiffany Day ICE-CCP, MS  and Shelly McDowell-Porter PhD, HumRRO

If you’re only thinking about test accommodations during the test administration, you’re doing it all wrong! For many testing entities, test accommodations are an afterthought and considered only during test administration, when they should be a forethought and considered at every step in the test development process.

According to the World Health Organization (2023), an estimated 1.3 billion people globally are living with a disability. In the U.S. nearly 61 million adults (i.e., 1 in 4 adults) report disabilities. This means that at every step in the test development process, it’s likely you will encounter a stakeholder with a disability. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires test entities to offer exams in a manner accessible to all individuals, most entities are only familiar with the more common accommodations, like extra testing time and adjustments to the testing environment. Perhaps unintentional, lack of awareness and consideration for the range of disabilities and accommodations, or upholding existing legacy processes are unacceptable excuses! Rather, these practices present subtle acts of exclusion for persons living with disabilities, often deterring them from testing, and consequently eliminating their ‘voice’ in the test development process.

This workshop introduces Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) principles, with a specific focus on the “A”, and will provide the foundational knowledge and insight needed to design an inclusive experience for persons living with disabilities. The facilitators will provide practical guidance for incorporating DEIAB practices into each phase of the test development process.

Participants will gain the knowledge to critically evaluate their existing testing programs to identify areas for growth, be empowered to engage in continuous dialogue and information gathering about the various disabilities and test accommodations, and leave with a spirit of intention and commitment to take action toward building a more inclusive test development process.