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[[Uneven Cognitive Profiles and Assessment Validity]] | [[Uneven Cognitive Profiles and Assessment Validity]] | ||
[[Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Employment]] | [[Avoiding Misassessment of capability in employment|Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Employment]] | ||
[[Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Settings]] | [[Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Settings]] | ||
Revision as of 10:26, 3 February 2026
Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Education
This page explains how uneven cognitive profiles can lead to systematic misjudgement of learning, attainment, and academic potential when assessment methods assume uniform cognitive ability.
In education, assessment often conflates understanding with the speed, fluency, or format in which that understanding is demonstrated. For learners with uneven cognitive profiles, reasoning ability may be underestimated because constrained domains such as working memory, processing speed, or written output dominate outcomes.
Key points
Uneven cognitive profiles are common in neurodivergent learners, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.
Difficulties in speed, memory, or output do not imply lack of understanding or reasoning capacity.
Assessment outcomes may be invalid where process-related constraints dominate performance.
Reasonable adjustments restore assessment validity by removing irrelevant barriers, not by lowering standards.
Learning versus demonstrating learning
Learning refers to the acquisition of understanding, concepts, and reasoning. Demonstrating learning refers to expressing that understanding under specific conditions such as time limits, formats, or environments.
For learners with uneven cognitive profiles, these two processes are often misaligned. Where assessment fails to distinguish between them, limits of expression may be mistaken for limits of understanding.
How this links to uneven cognitive profiles
Uneven cognitive profiles involve significant internal differences between cognitive domains. When assessment assumes uniformity, the most constrained domain disproportionately shapes outcomes.
Recognising uneven cognitive profiles allows educators and assessors to identify when assessment results reflect method failure rather than learner capability.
Related pages
Uneven Cognitive Profiles and Assessment Validity
Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Employment
Avoiding Misassessment of Capability in Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Settings
