• what learners want and need to know or do to function effectively at work, at home and in the community;

• what goals learners have;

• what learners require to reach their goals;

• and what learners expect to gain from a program.(14)

Learner-Centred Assessment

• Assessment that is done with students, not to students.In contrast to traditional, standardized tests, learner-centred assessment engages students in an active process of finding out what they already know and what they would like to learn. Results are used to plan instruction that centers on student goals as well as to affirm students’ pre-existing knowledge and steps made towards attaining goals.

• Assessment that is process-oriented. Assessment should not be a one-time, one-way test geared towards determining a grade level. It should be an ongoing process that seeks to find what is known now, what is being learned, and what needs to be learned in the future.

• Assessment that is empowering to both students and instructors. The results of assessment are not meant to be written on a form and then forgotten. In order to empower the participants, assessment should be useful, practical, and related to the life and goals of the learner. It should help the tutor know where to start and where to go. It should assist the learner in clarifying her goals and understanding her own strengths and weaknesses.(15)

Learning Outcomes
A language for measuring and documenting milestones in learners’ achievements; not a curriculum.(16)

Ongoing Assessment
Assessment that occurs at any point during the learner’s program. It can be formal (demonstrations and/or tests) or informal (personal observation or notes in a file).