A narrative review of adaptive testing and its application to medical education.

Adaptive testing has a long but largely unrecognized history. The advent of computer-based testing has created new opportunities to incorporate adaptive testing into conventional programmes of study. Relatively recently software has been developed that can automate the delivery of summative assessments that adapt by difficulty or content. Both types of adaptive testing require a large item bank that has been suitably quality assured. Adaptive testing by difficulty enables more reliable evaluation of individual candidate performance, although at the expense of transparency in decision making, and requiring unidirectional navigation. Adaptive testing by content enables reduction in compensation and targeted individual support to enable assurance of performance in all the required outcomes, although at the expense of discovery learning. With both types of adaptive testing, candidates are presented a different set of items to each other, and there is the potential for that to be perceived as unfair. However, when candidates of different abilities receive the same items, they may receive too many they can answer with ease, or too many that are too difficult to answer. Both situations may be considered unfair as neither provides the opportunity to demonstrate what they know. Adapting by difficulty addresses this. Similarly, when everyone is presented with the same items, but answer different items incorrectly, not providing individualized support and opportunity to demonstrate performance in all the required outcomes by revisiting content previously answered incorrectly could also be considered unfair; a point addressed when adapting by content. We review the educational rationale behind the evolution of adaptive testing and consider its inherent strengths and limitations. We explore the continuous pursuit of improvement of examination methodology and how software can facilitate personalized assessment. We highlight how this can serve as a catalyst for learning and refinement of curricula; fostering engagement of learner and educator alike

Adaptation planning for community service organisations and primary care partnerships: policy guidance for state government

This policy brief is for Victorian State Government departments. It aims to inform state-level policy and programs that could support climate change adaptation (CCA) planning by community service organisations (CSOs) and primary care partnerships (PCPs). This brief summarises results of the VCCCAR Implementing Adaptation project, a study that sought to better understand the adaptation planning capacities and needs of CSOs and PCPs (Fünfgeld et al. 2013). That study also facilitated the testing and implementation of adaptation planning approaches. Part I outlines the need for state-level support and coordination for adaptation planning and implementation in CSOs and PCPs. Parts II and III provide specific suggestions for key policy portfolios:  Part II: Health  Part III: Human Services Highlighted in each part are key policy issues that either support or hinder CCA planning by CSOs and PCPs. Emphasis is placed on the need for coordinated efforts and specific portfolio barriers and opportunities

Climate change adaptation in the Primary Health and Community Welfare Sector: A literature and analysis of institutional context and organisational needs for adaptation Final Report

This report is a major research output of a project entitled 'Implementing tools to increase adaptive capacity in the community and natural resource management sectors', funded by the Victorian Government through the Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research (VCCCAR). The project consists of several phases of desktop-based and empirical and action research. The main goal of the research phase that led to this review was to gain a better understanding of the climate change adaptation capabilities and needs of three types of service providers funded by the Victorian Government: catchment management authorities (CMAs), community service organisations (CSOs), and primary care partnerships (PCPs). This document focuses on the primary health and community welfare sector, in particular community service organisations (CSOs) and primary care partnerships (PCP) in Victoria. It reviews existing academic and grey literatures on climate change adaptation in the context of the primary health and community services sector and analyses the institutional context for climate change adaptation. In includes a review of international, Australian and Victorian published material on adaptation in the primary health and community welfare sectors, to determine the current status of planning for and responding to climate change impacts. As part of the review, the policy framing and governance arrangements surrounding climate change impacts and adaptation were also investigated. The analysis of interviews conducted among CSOs and PCPs across Victoria identified a range of sectoral and organisational adaptation barriers, needs and capacities

Climate change adaptation in the Natural Resource Management Sector: A literature and analysis of institutional context and organisational needs for adaptation Final Report

This report is a major output of a research project entitled 'Implementing tools to increase adaptive capacity in the community and natural resource management sectors'; funded by the Victorian Government through the Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research (VCCCAR). The project consists of several phases of desktop, empirical and action research. The main goal of the research phase leading to this report was a better understanding of the climate change adaptation planning capabilities and needs of three types of service providers funded by the Victorian Government: Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs); Community Service Organisations (CSOs); and Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs). This document focuses on the Natural Resource Management (NRM) sector, in particular Victoria's Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs). It reviews existing academic and grey literatures on climate change adaptation in the context of NRM and analyses the institutional context of CMAs in relation to climate change adaptation. It includes a review of international, Australian and Victorian published material on adaptation in NRM, with a view to appreciating the status of planning for and responding to climate change impacts. The analysis of interviews conducted among Victoria's CMAs identified a range of sectoral and organisational adaptation barriers, needs and capacities