Prove it Podcast

Cirrus Assessment

Prove It is the podcast for people who make assessment decisions and want to get them right. Each episode, host Robbie Burns sits down with experts from awarding bodies, universities and professional testing to dig into the questions that actually matter: what are we really measuring, does it hold up and how do we know? Expect honest conversations, practical takeaways and the occasional sacred cow challenged. Brought to you by Cirrus Assessment. New episodes monthly.

Episodes

  1. Jul 7

    What are we really measuring? Rethinking fairness in assessment design

    Most assessments are built around an ideal candidate. Someone calm, confident, digitally fluent, familiar with the process and sitting in perfect conditions. That candidate doesn't exist. And designing for them has real consequences for everyone who does. In this episode, Robbie Burns (Head of Business Consulting, Cirrus Assessment) is joined by Cristina Gilbert (Strategic Partnerships, Cirrus Assessment) and Hugh McNeela (ReadSpeaker) to challenge one of the most deeply embedded assumptions in assessment: that consistency and fairness are the same thing. They are not. A consistent exam is the same for everyone. A fair exam works for everyone. What we cover: The ideal candidate. Most assessments are designed around someone who doesn't really exist. We look at what that costs you. Reliability vs validity. Why consistent delivery does not guarantee valid measurement. Accessibility as a validity issue. When a barrier has nothing to do with the capability you are measuring, it changes what your assessment is actually testing. Legitimate vs accidental difficulty. Some difficulty belongs in your assessment. Some has just always been there. Knowing the difference is the starting point. You will come away with the Three Layers of Assessment Fairness, a practical framework covering access, validity and candidate experience, plus four design questions your team can put to work straight away. Want the framework on paper? Download the Assessment Fairness Toolkit at cirrusassessment.com. Prove It is brought to you by Cirrus Assessment, the online assessment platform trusted by awarding bodies, universities and professional testing organisations.

    What are we really measuring? Rethinking fairness in assessment design

About

Prove It is the podcast for people who make assessment decisions and want to get them right. Each episode, host Robbie Burns sits down with experts from awarding bodies, universities and professional testing to dig into the questions that actually matter: what are we really measuring, does it hold up and how do we know? Expect honest conversations, practical takeaways and the occasional sacred cow challenged. Brought to you by Cirrus Assessment. New episodes monthly.