Preassessments

A preassessment is an evaluation conducted before a learning experience or intervention to determine a learner's existing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and needs. The goal is to establish a baseline, inform instructional planning, and tailor activities to individual or group starting points.

Preassessments come in many forms, including diagnostic tests, readiness checks, skill inventories, entry quizzes, surveys, and informal observations. They are typically administered at the outset of a course, training module, or program, as well as when onboarding new staff or assessing patient needs in clinical settings.

Key design considerations include alignment with learning objectives, validity and reliability, fairness and accessibility, and time efficiency. They should minimize test anxiety, preserve privacy, and avoid labeling or stigmatization. Results are usually used to segment learners, identify gaps, and adapt pacing, grouping, or content sequencing.

Interpreting results involves caution to avoid over- or misinterpretation of a single measure. In education and training, preassessments are often paired with postassessments to estimate learning gains and guide remediation. They differ from traditional graded tests by emphasizing diagnosis and planning rather than final grading.

Common examples include a course prequiz, a skills inventory, a readiness survey, or a brief diagnostic exam administered at program entry. They are used across education, corporate training, and healthcare to improve relevance, efficiency, and outcomes.