NAOP Level 1 & Level 2 Qualifications in Occupational Testing and Assessment

Information Kit Ver 2.0

Final draft accepted by CAPT

Objectives
The comprehensive 7+3+30 day program would aim at providing line managers, HR professionals and psychologists who are involved in occupational testing for various processes like recruitment, assessment, leadership development, counselling, performance management etc. with specific and clear directions required for ethical and competent use of psychological tests. The Level 1 certification would provide a general foundation of testing and the knowledge and skills associated with the test administration and use of Ability and Aptitude tests. The Level 2 certification would aim at providing knowledge and skills associated with administration and interpretation of Personality Tests apart from covering the use of personality tests in organisational and occupational settings. While Level 1 covers only the administration of tests, Level 2 covers administration, Interpretation of scores and also the issues involved in providing feedback to test takers. Together, the entire course would provide training for certification of the participants as competent users of psychological tests in occupational settings.

Coverage and Approach

The programme will adopt a competency based approach where the applicants will have to go through the required training and work based assignments and demonstrate their level of competencies by submitting a required portfolio of evidences through an NAOP approved trainer/verifier to establish their competence levels. ethical use of tests. Essential Knowledge (Theoretical knowledge of ability testing, personality, psychometrics and psychometric testing) Testing skills (Test administration skills, Scoring and Interpretation Skills, Feedback Report Writing Skills, Corroboration Skills, Skills for giving feedback, counselling skills) The training, assignments and the assessment will focus on

the following list specifies competencies, which are, critical for competent and

Testing Procedures and Ethics of Testing (Assessment process, control, recording and security of materials, dealing with problems and breakdowns, dealing with candidates questions, evaluation of tests from psychometric and ethical point of views, rights of the candidates and the ethical issues). Assessment in the Organisational Context (Developing and implementing assessment procedures and policies, selection of appropriate tests to fit the purpose, competent and ethical uses of test results, handling post-test counselling and development sessions, uses and misuses of organisational profiling)

The minimum number of instructor led training hours required for Level 1 and Level 2 certifications is 16 hours each. The training will not promote or recommend any specific tests but will be focussing on the underlying knowledge and expertise. Actual training on some of the popular tests would be only one aspect of the program and would be taken up only to illustrate and demonstrate the skill requirements. It is a must that the trainer must be a NAOP member and is approved by NAOP executive committee or the NAOP Committee on Accreditation and Psychological Testing (CAPT). The NAOP will approve trainers based on their qualifications and experience. for occupational purposes. Minimum qualifications required for a NAOP trainer include a degree in Psychology and experience in use of tests There will be no automatic grant of the Certificate solely on the basis of attending the training course. The portfolio of evidences submitted by the candidates through the approved trainer should have the following: 1. The Verification of required competence completed and signed by the approved trainer 2. End of the course quiz sheets signed off by the trainer with marks 3. All the materials related to the work based assignments ( Copies of the three tests administered along with scoring sheets, feedback report before corroboration, final feedback report after corroboration and so forth) 4. A reflective report on the problems and issues faced during the work based assignment 5. The verification of the work based assignment by the approved trainer

Training Methods
Considering the fact that the participants of this certification programme will be mostly mature adults with considerable experience, a highly participant centred training method is strongly suggested. All sessions should be highly interactive to encourage learning from faculty as well as learning from each other. Lecture sessions ideally, should not exceed 30 minutes and should be used only to summarise or to share key concepts and issues. It should be used to complete

the cycle of experiential learning rather than as a primary teaching method. Topics such as Statistics should be explained by encouraging participants to actually do the calculations using simple data. Sessions should be built in to help participants practice the key skills of administering, scoring and interpreting the tests. Towards the end of the programme an exercise should be introduced to integrate the learning and to bring in applied focus at work. Use of ice breakers and fun energizers are recommended. It is also important to reinforce and articulate the learning of each session and each day through quizzes, games etc as possible.

Certification Assessment
The final assessment will be made as per the following scheme and the pass mark required will be 60%. All components will be converted into a 1-10 point score for computing the final score using the weightages as shown below Portfolio of Evidences and Marking Scheme N Weighta Minimu Maximu o Components ge m m 1 The verification of required competence completed and signed by the approved trainer Must NA NA 1 Attendance and Class Participation as rated by the trainers 20% 2 Level 1/2 Test as applicable 30% 1 10 3 Self assessment 10% 1 10 4 Project 40% 1 10 Total 100%

Benefits
The main benefits of the certification process include the following provides the potential test user with the knowledge and skills required for the competent and ethical use of tests enhances the confidence and decision making abilities of the test users due to the clarity and understanding of the complicated issues involved in testing provides the holder better access to the tests from various test providers and vendors will get trained in the use of a series of specific tests which will be used in the certification training session for demonstration purposes Certification can be used as evidence of competence for people wishing to use or purchase test materials

Appendix 3. Participant Checklist for Self Assessment linked to learning goals

Achieved? 0=No 1= Somewhat 2= Yes

Module ID 1.Basic theory of testing 1.Basic theory of testing 1.Basic theory of testing 1.Basic theory of testing 1.Basic theory of testing 1.Basic theory of testing 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 2.Statistical and Psychometric Concepts 3.Selecting and using Ability Testing

Learning Goals Uses of psychological tests Different types of tests Principles of test administration and test security Rules of test briefing Ethical and social considerations in testing Computerised testing Calculate mean and the standard deviation Calculate /explain Standard Error of the mean Raw scores, percentiles, stens, stanines and Z scores Use of norm tables, Z score -percentile rank tables, test of significance tables Correlation and able to understand scatter diagram. Types of reliability measures Determinants of reliability Types of validity measures Determinants of validity Norms, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests. Use of test properties to evaluate tests

Lev el 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

3.Selecting and Ability Testing 3.Selecting and Ability Testing 3.Selecting and Ability Testing 3.Selecting and Ability Testing 3.Selecting and Ability Testing

using using using using using

3.Selecting and using Ability Testing 4. Use of test results and feedback 4. Use of test results and feedback 4. Use of test results and feedback 4. Use of test results and feedback 5. Personality Theories 5. Personality Theories 5. Personality Theories

5. Personality Theories 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches

Famous ability (aptitude, intelligence) tests Demonstrate the use of one ability test Scoring and use of norm tables Genetic and environmental influences on test results Criteria for evaluating and selecting tests Use of one cognitive (intelligence or reasoning) test. Principles of pre-feedback interviews and diagnosis of disagreements Arriving at composite scores using multiple tests Principles of interpreting test scores Meanings of scale scores and norms in lay man's language Definition of 'personality' Personality (temperament) tests Vs interests, attitudes and values tests Effect of genetic and environmental factors on personality Personality-Trait, Type, Psychoanalytic, Behavioural, social cognitive and humanistic theories Dangers of popular and pseudo-scientific tests Factor analysis and its uses in testing Ipsative and normative approaches to testing. Mapping of other tests to five factor model Approaches to assessing personality Advantages and disadvantages of the different personality assessment methods Trait and type measures of personalty Administer, score and interpret any three types of personality tests

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 2 2

2 2 2

6.Personality Testing approaches 6.Personality Testing approaches 7.Issues in Personality Testing 7.Issues in Personality Testing 7.Issues in Personality Testing 7.Issues in Personality Testing 7.Issues in Personality Testing 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 8. Interpretation, Corroboration and Feedback (Personality) 9.Organisational and Occupational Context 9.Organisational and Occupational Context 9.Organisational and Occupational Context 9.Organisational and Occupational Context 9.Organisational and Occupational Context

Evolution of 16 Personality factor model and the 'Big Five' factor model Different methods of tests administration Steps to ensure data protection and confidentiality Key ethical issues in personality testing List down the principles of personality test administration List down and describe the range of applications of personality testing Controlling 'faking' or 'distortion' effects in personality assessment Principles of providing non judgemental corroborated feedback to participants Principles of interpreting personality test scores Methods for corroborating pre-feedback test results and interpretation Diagnosis and interpretation of conflicting results Developing composite scores based on weighted combinations of scales Principles of writing feedback reports for the candidate Combining information from a variety of tests and other sources in reports Objectives of occupational and organisational testing Use of person profile, position profile and selection criteria 'Triangulation' of various other information in organisational setting Policies and procedures manual on psychological testing in your company. Use of tests in assessment centres and development centres

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1