Comprehension Audits

Summary A comprehension audit checks, in person, that a student can apply what a module taught them on the job. After the student completes the module's online quiz, PaT gives their supervisor a task to run the audit, due 5 days later. The supervisor makes sure the student has everything on the pre-audit checklist, runs the audit with open-ended, practical questions, and records a pass or a fail. A fail sends the student back through the module, the quiz and the audit.

See also: How to create module comprehension audits, for module authors.

Steps

Introduction. For the most effective learning, PaT highly recommends that module publishers create a comprehension audit for every module. Students should see each audit as a valuable opportunity to learn rapidly.

Why audits matter. A comprehension audit tests how well a student applies what they have learned on the job, using the tools of their trade in the real world. The online quiz, sat in front of a device, is helpful for testing knowledge. But its multiple-choice questions are closed-ended, and closed-ended questions often hide learning gaps that an audit, run by a person, flushes out.

Note. An audit uses open-ended questions that give no clues away, so the student has to prove real competency in the real world.

Rule of thumb. Every module should have a comprehension audit, and a module without one should have 3 times the recertification count. An audit is conducted in the student's working environment, which makes learning more immersive, and more meaningful for people who prefer doing to reading or watching. PaT's experience suggests that learning efficacy increases by 300% when a module includes a comprehension audit, compared with an online quiz alone.

How an audit is triggered

Step 1

When a module includes a comprehension audit, PaT automatically gives the student's supervisor a task to run it after the student completes the module's online quiz. The task is due 5 days later. The supervisor then schedules a time with the student to run the audit. An audit might ask the student to prove they can use a software application, lift heavy objects correctly, or role-play a difficult conversation with a supervisor, peer or subordinate.

Note. Comprehension audits are designed for practical, hands-on, situational learning, and to be completed on a mobile phone, so the supervisor can run the audit directly in the context of the learning material.

Running the audit as the supervisor

Step 2

On your Task Wall, click the audit task (its title includes "Comprehension AUDIT" and the module's name). The task's panel opens on the right of the screen. Click the blue i (information) button in the task's details, to the right of the orange ?. The Please complete this Audit box opens.

Step 3

The box shows your name under Person to complete this Audit, a short Overview of the audit (press it for more detail) and the Pre-audit checklist: everything the student must prepare, each item with a tick box. A checklist can have one item or many. Some audits need props or business tools, such as a computer, so the student can show their practical knowledge; the checklist explains what is needed.

Step 4

When you meet the student for the audit, make sure they have everything on the Pre-audit checklist. Then click Start Audit at the bottom of the box.

Step 5

The first question appears. Its blue box tells you what to ask the student to do. Follow its prompts while the student shows you. An audit can have one question or several.

Step 6

Under the blue box are the answer options, for example one for a student who succeeded and one for a student who could not do it. If the student succeeded, select the option that says so: it turns light blue. Then click Next Question > at the bottom of the box.

Step 7

If the student failed, select the option that says they could not do it. It is crucial that a student who fails is failed. A fail restarts the cycle: study the module, pass the online quiz and pass the comprehension audit. Skipping that cycle helps no one. The extra work now is a powerful motivator: it deepens the student's understanding and means fewer recertifications later, which saves time for the student, the supervisor and the business. As the senior, doing the right thing by the student means failing them if they failed. Knowing they will be held accountable, students take learning more seriously.

Step 8

When the audit is finished, the box shows the result. For a pass, it reads Congratulations you passed - please press the complete button below. Click Complete at the bottom of the box. PaT then records the audit as a pass or, if the student failed, decertifies them and requires them to resit.

Tip. As an auditor, you have the power to reignite a person's love of learning. Children are naturally curious and eager to learn, but by adulthood many people have lost that passion. Even when learning feels forced, it can raise a person's sense of self-worth, and you can help restore it. Use every opportunity to guide students through their successes and failures: encourage them, make learning enjoyable, and be serious when needed. Your role in audits, coaching and development is crucial: it is the most impactful work you can do.

Why audits work. Comprehension audits take learning from the classroom (a PC, laptop or mobile device) into real-world application. This approach, known as "train-to-the-gap", relies on the student mastering 80% of the material on their own. The teacher then focuses on guiding the student through the remaining 20%, which makes the best use of both people's time. Showing their skills in a practical setting also boosts the student's sense of achievement and self-worth.