Abstract:
Webster's New College Dictionary (1980) defines assessment as "the act or instance of assessing: appraisal" and defines professionalism as "the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person". To me, these two definitions create an image of assay offices in the old west, where miners took their samples of gold nuggets to have them weighed and appraised. When I hear the term assessment of professionalism, I immediately think of weighing students to see if they have the necessary qualities for a profession. The more I think about this image, the more unhappy I become. As teachers we all are professionals, and assessment gives us an opportunity to weigh our own professionalism, as well as the professionalism of our students. It is these twin themes of assessment, weighing our students and weighing ourselves, that I want to carry through this presentation.
Keywords:
professionalism, assessments
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