In this session, Ilse Sistermans from Maastricht University (Netherlands) explore programmatic assessment and the role of digital portfolios, sharing how PebblePad supports longitudinal, feedback‑rich assessment across programmes.
The talk introduces Maastricht’s educational context, including its strong tradition of problem‑based learning and an assessment vision built around learning as a continuous, reflective process.
The session explains the core principles of programmatic assessment — assessment of, for, and as learning — and why multiple low‑stakes data points provide a more valid and reliable picture of student development than single high‑stakes exams.
Key topics include:
- The research foundations of programmatic assessment
- Using frequent, qualitative feedback to improve reliability
- Competency‑based assessment and longitudinal progression
- The “many small data points” (pixels) approach to building a full picture of learning
- Low‑, medium‑, and high‑stakes decisions supported by portfolios
- The role of portfolio committees in progression decisions
- How PebblePad supports reflection, feedback, competency tracking, and multi‑source assessment
- Practical challenges and design decisions when implementing programmatic assessment digitally
The session also reflects on lessons learned from early implementation, particularly within psychology and medical education, and highlights ongoing collaboration with PebblePad to support assessor‑driven feedback and competency reporting.