Sections accommodate the item(s) added to a checklist. An item is a set of a certain question and - depending on the item type - the possible answers for that question. As items cannot be added independently to a checklist, only within a section, it follows that a checklist always contains at least one section.
A section may contain one or more items that target the same skill competence. Thus sections are used for categorizing/ grouping questions and serve as means for arranging questions according to different skill areas. In turn, performance can be analyzed based on different sections, thereby providing means for observing performance along skill areas.
IMPORTANT: When on the tab of the desired part (checklist), without any section added, clicking an item in the New Item panel will automatically create a section that in turn can contain the added item.
Item types are discussed in detail here.
Data to be specified for a section
Section title: title describing the type of items arranged within the section or referring to the skill area the items included aim to evaluate
Section abbreviation: a code corresponding to a common skill area intended to be observed across the different cases
Weight: value determining the weight of the section with which it counts into the score calculation.
Scoring: setting determining the type of scoring (Percents, Natural score or Mean score)
Further options - activated by ticking their checkbox:
Affects case total - if NOT checked, the section will NOT be counted in the Case Total Score, but will be displayed in all relevant reports
Affects skill area total - mainly relevant in the Preliminary Results/ Skill Report and the Skill Development Report
Hidden - when checked, the scores achieved by the responses for the items of the section will not count in the Case Total Score, and the section will not be displayed in the Reports. However, it does not affect Data Entry, the items included will be displayed and can be answered by the user filling out the checklist. By default, sections are not hidden. → See also: What can be "hidden" in LearningSpace, how and for what purpose?
Observed - see SP Performance Assessment
For further information, visit our Case Manager and Cases - How to pages, or watch our Case Manager Training Videos.