This report examines the assessment of competence in nursing and midwifery education in Britain within a context of changes in health needs, values about health care and service provision, policy/ideology, and education. Chapter 1 explores alternative approaches to conceptualizing the issues involved in the study of assessment, competence, and assessment of competence. Chapter 2 addresses the issues identified by staff and students in their experiences of the assessment of competence. Chapter 3 examines the features and experiences of planning a system of assessment by giving an overview of the relevant features of the operating context of institutions by "mapping the system" and by describing experiences of staff operating within that "map." Chapter 4 provides an outline of the range of assessment texts and the evidence bases produced. Chapter 5 considers the professional development experiences of students, educators, and practitioners involved in the assessment process. Chapter 6 examines the relationship between assessment and learning from the viewpoints of staff and students. Chapter 7 focuses on knowledge and assessment of that knowledge in classroom-based written assessment. Chapter 8 addresses the use of dialogue in assessment. Chapter 9 explores the key areas of discourse of assessment practice. Chapter 10 explores the discourses of theory, knowledge, and practice. Eleven recommendations are made for changes in the assessment of competence in nursing and midwifery education. The report contains 161 references. (YLB)