Assessment Strategy
Deciding on an assessment strategy for this project was difficult. Here are some of the challenges inherent in the course:
- It is a standalone e-course that will not be moderated.
- No grades will be recorded or tracked.
- Course objectives primarily deal with the affective domain (though expressed in measurable outcomes).
- The subject matter (confidentiality) prohibits the use of graded tests tied to specific individuals.
- Learners are church volunteers who would most likely be averse to taking "tests."
Sample Assessment
The purpose of the course I’m developing is to teach volunteer church office assistants the importance of maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information.
This assessment aligns with Terminal Objective #3: Critically examine past behavior and determine a strategy for future behavior in regards to maintaining confidentiality.
The assessment below is designed as a type of pretest for this terminal objective. It’s a self-assessment that will help learners determine their vulnerability to sharing too much information. Certain personality traits lend toward gossip, so it’s important for learners to understand themselves before they can understand why they do what they do (or why they’ve done what they’ve done). It’s an important first step in analyzing their past behavior. [Note: the learner will be reminded that this assessment is completely confidential and results will not be stored or shared with any other person.] Scroll to bottom of page for example of possible Flash build for this activity.
This assessment aligns with Terminal Objective #3: Critically examine past behavior and determine a strategy for future behavior in regards to maintaining confidentiality.
The assessment below is designed as a type of pretest for this terminal objective. It’s a self-assessment that will help learners determine their vulnerability to sharing too much information. Certain personality traits lend toward gossip, so it’s important for learners to understand themselves before they can understand why they do what they do (or why they’ve done what they’ve done). It’s an important first step in analyzing their past behavior. [Note: the learner will be reminded that this assessment is completely confidential and results will not be stored or shared with any other person.] Scroll to bottom of page for example of possible Flash build for this activity.
Learners will be asked the question, “How well do the following statements describe you?”
- I have a hard time keeping a secret; I just can’t help myself. If I hear exciting news, I can’t hold it in.
- I love to talk and sometimes spend hours chatting with friends on the phone or online (e.g. Facebook, email, instant messaging).
- My memory is not always reliable. I tend to forget things and sometimes I don’t relay information accurately.
- As an honest person myself, I expect others to fully disclose information to me (the “whole truth”). When someone withholds information, I consider that to be a lie.
- I am a very helpful person and naturally offer advice or intercede when I’m able or when I think it will be beneficial to the other person.
Scoring
The
Likert scale I will use gives options for the following answers (points awarded
for each answer are in parentheses): always (1), often (2), sometimes
(3), rarely (4), and never (5). Points will be tallied at the end
of the “quiz” and learners will be placed in one of three categories (using a
traffic light to reinforce the category):
STOP (Red Light) 5-12 points – You are most likely a very gregarious person, but your natural personality is definitely a hindrance to keeping sensitive information private. You should limit your exposure to sensitive and confidential information. Please review the information below for any statements you marked as “always” or “often” to learn more about why your answers could cause a potential breach in confidentiality.
CAUTION (Yellow Light), 13-18 points – Be careful. Some of your personality traits may make you vulnerable to unknowingly sharing confidential information. Please review the information below for any statements you marked as “always” or “often.”
GO (Green Light), 19-25 points – For the most part, you should keep doing what you’re doing. Your personality lends toward keeping information confidential. However, if you rated a statement as “always” or “often,” please read the question feedback below to see the possible hazard.
STOP (Red Light) 5-12 points – You are most likely a very gregarious person, but your natural personality is definitely a hindrance to keeping sensitive information private. You should limit your exposure to sensitive and confidential information. Please review the information below for any statements you marked as “always” or “often” to learn more about why your answers could cause a potential breach in confidentiality.
CAUTION (Yellow Light), 13-18 points – Be careful. Some of your personality traits may make you vulnerable to unknowingly sharing confidential information. Please review the information below for any statements you marked as “always” or “often.”
GO (Green Light), 19-25 points – For the most part, you should keep doing what you’re doing. Your personality lends toward keeping information confidential. However, if you rated a statement as “always” or “often,” please read the question feedback below to see the possible hazard.
Feedback:
1.
I have a
hard time keeping a secret; I just can’t help myself. If I hear exciting news,
I can’t hold it in.
When working in a church office setting, you are entrusted with a lot of “secrets” (confidential information, both positive and negative). If you can’t resist the urge to tell others, then you should definitely limit your exposure to sensitive information. As you’ve learned already, telling “secrets” (things people shared in confidence) isn’t harmless. It can cause real damage. You have to overcome this urge if you want to work in a church setting.
2. I love to talk and sometimes spend hours chatting with friends on the phone or online (e.g. Facebook, email, instant messaging). Proverbs 10:19 tells us, “Where words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” People who talk a lot tend to say more than they ever intended to say. They get caught up in the conversation and can, if they’re not extremely careful, share confidential information without ever realizing it. If you like to chat, you must be extra careful. Stay on alert. Choose your words carefully. Be ever mindful of confidentiality issues and don’t say too much.
3. My memory is not always reliable. I tend to forget things and sometimes I don’t relay information accurately. A faltering memory is something many over 50 have to deal with. But so do many folks who are much younger. Some people are naturally inattentive and tend to relay their perceptions instead of facts. If this statement describes you, you need to be extra careful in sharing information, especially information involving other people. If your memory is failing, it’s much better to simply tell people you don’t remember or to avoid the topic altogether than to share incorrect information. Limit what you share! Even if you believe your memory is excellent, realize that we don’t always “get it right.” And wouldn’t it be terrible if we passed on false information?
4. As an honest person myself, I expect others to fully disclose information to me (the “whole truth”). When someone withholds information, I consider that to be a lie. Integrity and honesty are hallmarks of Christians. We should all be completely honest in every area of our lives. However, younger generations equate honesty with full disclosure of everything you know and everything you are. If you don’t tell your new boss that you used to own your own company, or that you were married to his ex-wife’s sister, then you “lied.” So, people with this rigid understanding of truth often feel as if they have to share every detail they know if someone asks, even if it’s confidential. They need to understand that it’s OK not to divulge everything you know. There are boundaries when you’re discussing confidential information that involves other people.
5. I am a very helpful person and naturally offer advice or intercede when I’m able or when I think it will be beneficial to the other person. The church is full of helpful people. And aren’t you glad it is? It’s a natural result of being a Christ-follower. But we all need to be careful in this regard, because it’s very easy while trying to be helpful to share too much information. In giving advice, we must not share someone else’s confidential struggle. It’s not OK to share confidential information, even when trying to defend someone who is being maligned. Be careful! The end doesn’t justify the means. It’s not acceptable to divulge sensitive information even if it will help another person. Find another way!
When working in a church office setting, you are entrusted with a lot of “secrets” (confidential information, both positive and negative). If you can’t resist the urge to tell others, then you should definitely limit your exposure to sensitive information. As you’ve learned already, telling “secrets” (things people shared in confidence) isn’t harmless. It can cause real damage. You have to overcome this urge if you want to work in a church setting.
2. I love to talk and sometimes spend hours chatting with friends on the phone or online (e.g. Facebook, email, instant messaging). Proverbs 10:19 tells us, “Where words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” People who talk a lot tend to say more than they ever intended to say. They get caught up in the conversation and can, if they’re not extremely careful, share confidential information without ever realizing it. If you like to chat, you must be extra careful. Stay on alert. Choose your words carefully. Be ever mindful of confidentiality issues and don’t say too much.
3. My memory is not always reliable. I tend to forget things and sometimes I don’t relay information accurately. A faltering memory is something many over 50 have to deal with. But so do many folks who are much younger. Some people are naturally inattentive and tend to relay their perceptions instead of facts. If this statement describes you, you need to be extra careful in sharing information, especially information involving other people. If your memory is failing, it’s much better to simply tell people you don’t remember or to avoid the topic altogether than to share incorrect information. Limit what you share! Even if you believe your memory is excellent, realize that we don’t always “get it right.” And wouldn’t it be terrible if we passed on false information?
4. As an honest person myself, I expect others to fully disclose information to me (the “whole truth”). When someone withholds information, I consider that to be a lie. Integrity and honesty are hallmarks of Christians. We should all be completely honest in every area of our lives. However, younger generations equate honesty with full disclosure of everything you know and everything you are. If you don’t tell your new boss that you used to own your own company, or that you were married to his ex-wife’s sister, then you “lied.” So, people with this rigid understanding of truth often feel as if they have to share every detail they know if someone asks, even if it’s confidential. They need to understand that it’s OK not to divulge everything you know. There are boundaries when you’re discussing confidential information that involves other people.
5. I am a very helpful person and naturally offer advice or intercede when I’m able or when I think it will be beneficial to the other person. The church is full of helpful people. And aren’t you glad it is? It’s a natural result of being a Christ-follower. But we all need to be careful in this regard, because it’s very easy while trying to be helpful to share too much information. In giving advice, we must not share someone else’s confidential struggle. It’s not OK to share confidential information, even when trying to defend someone who is being maligned. Be careful! The end doesn’t justify the means. It’s not acceptable to divulge sensitive information even if it will help another person. Find another way!
Created using Adobe Captivate (my first ever Captivate project, so it's just a little rough).