INSTITUTE INITIATIVES AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

The Summative Assessment Project


The goal of the Summative Assessment Project is to design a mediator
assessment process that will assist organizations that have adopted the
transformative orientation in making "mediator readiness" decisions. At present we have developed a "provisional" process that is firmly grounded both in the theoretical framework for transformative practice and in empirical evidence of what competent transformative mediators actually do. The assessment process consists of two parts. First, an assessor observes the videotaped performance of a mediator in session, using a rating scale to evaluate the mediator's performance of certain essential discourse strategies. This assessment is followed by an interactive session between the assessor and the mediator to tap into the mediator's grasp of the premises-purpose-practice link in the transformative approach. This is currently a work in progress and refinements are underway.Before long we will be conducting field tests.

Resources related to the Summative Assessment Project:
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"Staying on Track with Transformative Practice: How Do We Know if Mediators Have Internalized the Framework?" by James R. Antes and Judith A. Saul
     Figure 1 for "Staying on Track..."
     Figure 2 for "Staying on Track..."