Research Roundup: The Latest Studies From the Research and Development Committee
The I.C.E. Research and Development (R&D) Committee has been hard at work conducting research and developing studies reflective of the current state of the credentialing industry. Learn more about the committee’s latest research study on pass rates, as well as what’s to come this summer.
Just Released: Pass Rate Evaluation Study
Overview: Having identified the need to provide programs with information related to observed pandemic trends in testing to benchmark how their own programs’ pass rates changed compared to the broader industry, the R&D Committee conducted a research study to evaluate changes in pass rates during the timeframe when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest disruptions to the testing industry.
Authors: Susan Davis-Becker, PhD, ICE-CCP; Tim Muckle, PhD, ICE-CCP; and Pooja Shivraj, PhD
“During the last few years, many programs saw notable changes in their pass rates and program leaders were left with questions as to how their experiences compared to that of others. My co-authors (Tim Muckle, PhD, ICE-CCP, and Pooja Shivraj, PhD) and I saw the opportunity to explore these changes on a larger scale across National Commission for Certifying Agencies Accreditation Commission (NCCA) accredited programs. The results in this study describe the trends in candidate volume and pass rates from 2019 to 2021. We hope these results provide programs with a benchmark for evaluating their program findings. —Susan Davis-Becker, PhD, ICE-CCP, Chair, Pass Rate Evaluation Taskforce
Coming Soon: Live Remote Proctoring and Candidate Experience Study
There has been a dramatic increase in the utilization of live remote proctoring (LRP) for administering high stakes credentialing examinations over the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As credentialing organizations adapted, remote proctoring provided a convenient, if not necessary, alternative for many certification bodies feeling the pandemic’s economic pressures, while simultaneously experiencing sustained demand for professional certification. With no clear end to the global crisis in sight, many organizations continue to include live remote proctoring as a viable option for the foreseeable future. While the guidance and research thus far on LRP has focused on decision-making frameworks, implementation, comparability and receptivity, little work has been done to provide impactful guidance to candidates to ensure they select the modality that best suits their testing needs. candidate’s individual circumstances for testing. To that end, the R&D Committee commissioned a study to gather information from organizations using LRP regarding communication strategies that best connect with test takers.
Authors: Kari Hodge, PhD, ICE-CCP; Danny Breidenbach, PhD, ICE-CCP; Tim Muckle, PhD, ICE-CCP; Linda Waters, PhD; and Patricia Young, MA.
"Delivering exams via live remote proctoring gained prominence during the pandemic when test centers were closed or were limited in the number of candidates that could be seated. Initially after LRP was implemented, the focus was on comparability of the test delivery as well as psychometric equivalence of different testing modalities. Since that time, the focus has now shifted to explore the candidate experience using LRP: What information is and should be provided to candidates to assist the candidate in making the best decision when multiple delivery options are offered? The purpose of this I.C.E. project was to provide credentialing organizations with guidance to help ensure a positive candidate experience when testing via LRP.” —Linda Waters, PhD, Chair, Live Remote Proctoring Taskforce
Coming Soon: Current Practices and Recent Trends in Eligibility Criteria for Credentialing
Eligibility criteria are critically important and provide the foundation for credentialing but are often overlooked. There is not a standard set of guidelines or standard operating procedures. To address this shortcoming, the I.C.E. R&D Committee has been working to identify common eligibility criteria and rationales for certifications in different industries and professions and identify and describe procedures and best practices for establishing, reviewing and updating eligibility criteria.
Authors: Kevin Bradley, PhD, ICE-CCP; Tony Ellis, MSEd, CAE, ICE-CCP; Nicole Risk, PhD; and Anthony Zara, PhD
“‘Current Practices and Recent Trends in Eligibility Criteria for Credentialing’ provides the credentialing community with data and insights on the practices and procedures certifying organizations utilize to establish, monitor and update their certification eligibility requirements. In addition to reviewing general practices across the credentialing industry, we provide an in-depth look at two important considerations within eligibility criteria. First, we describe organizations’ decisions surrounding if and how to implement alternate eligibility pathways. Second, we identify the events that trigger a review (and potential revision) of a certification program’s eligibility criteria. Throughout the report, we interpret the survey results considering recommendations and best practices to follow when setting and updating eligibility criteria.” —Kevin Bradley, PhD, ICE-CCP, Chair, Eligibility Criteria Taskforce