Sero!: A learning assessment platform for adult learning environments

Abstract

Training and development programs within corporate environments have seen a significant expansion in recent years. Yet there is little research regarding workplace learning assessments. Learning assessments could be used as a tool to gauge employee knowledge in a specific domain area, which can be useful in identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses and indicate where improvement is needed. One way to effectively and efficiently assess workplace learning could be with Concept Maps, a diagramming technique of knowledge representation that has been used to capture the mental models of domain experts. Concept Maps can in turn be used to assess the progress of learners through training and learning curricula. Although the actual set-up and analysis for Concept Maps tend to be rather time consuming and laborious, Sero!, a developing learning assessment platform, holds promise for realizing efficiencies in their use to enable deeper learning assessment. This paper explores the literature about workplace learning assessment, reviews the applicability of Concept Maps for such assessment, summarizes the user-centered design and development of Sero!, and reflects on the boundary conditions for its use.