ABSTRACT
The general dissatisfaction with traditional methods of assessing and recording achievement has led to a resurgence of interest in 'profiling' student/pupil competence. This chapter discusses some of the considerations which may be of concern to those faced with designing and operating a profiling system for the first time. It deals with the disadvantages of profiling, a successful system requires different skills from the teaching staff. Formative profiling without producing the summative document misses the opportunity of giving the student a statement of competences and/or experiences which can be considered by an employer or by the 'gatekeepers' of further and higher education courses. As an important premise in profiling is its student-centred nature, the statements appearing on the student's profile should have been negotiated between the tutor and the student during the formative process. The profiling system could then be used through primary, secondary, and tertiary education, so that students would carry the profile with them throughout their educational careers.
