Adults always are told what they will be asked to do before the assignment so they can prepare themselves. The EDP uses a variety of testing techniques as alternatives to paper and pencil exercises. Oral as well as written competence is valued. Simulations of life tasks make paper projects relevant. This makes the program both confidential and flexible.
Pacing is dependent on the skill of the candidate rather than on the skill of the teacher.
The Advisors and Assessors fully explain and freely discuss the competencies and the required performance indicators with the adult during the counseling and throughout the assessment process. The assessment is related in form and content to the practical concerns of adults. Items in the Tasks require the application of the cognitive skills of synthesis and analysis instead of the more familiar, lower-order thinking skills of comprehension and recall. The Tasks are simulations of the practical experiences of adulthood such as changing residence, applying for a job, demonstrating consumer awareness, solving personal and social problems, and maintaining personal health. In many take-home projects, the candidates must provide written documentation of their work, allowing an opportunity for those with strong writing skills to present them in this fashion.