{Tools for Assessment Validation for Vocational Training Bodies across Australia's training sector -

{Tools for Assessment Validation for Vocational Training Bodies across Australia's training sector -

Blog Article

Assessment Validation Overview

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are responsible for multiple tasks following registration, which include annual statements, AVETMISS data submission, and promotional compliance. Among these tasks, assessment validation is notably challenging. While validation has been covered in several publications, a review of the basics is necessary. ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) describes assessment review as granular review of the assessment procedure.

In essence, validation of assessments is designed to identify which parts of an RTO’s evaluation process are effective and which need improvement. With a proper grasp of its key aspects, validation becomes less daunting. According to Clause 1.8 of the SRTOs 2015, RTOs must ensure their assessment systems, including RPL, comply with the training package requirements and are conducted according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

The regulations specify two forms of validation. The initial type of validation of assessments checks conformity with the training package assessment requirements within your RTO's scope. The subsequent validation guarantees that assessments follow the principles of assessment and Rules of Evidence. This implies that validation is carried out both before and after the assessment. This article will concentrate on the primary type—validation of assessment tools.

The Two Types of Assessment Validation

- Assessment Tool Validation: Sometimes called pre-assessment validation or verification, pertains to the initial part of the regulation, aimed at compliance with all unit requirements.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Is related to the implementation, ensuring that RTO assessments align with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

Best Time for Conducting Assessment

The goal of validating assessment tools is to make sure that all components, performance standards, and performance and knowledge evidence are covered by your assessment tools. Therefore, whenever you obtain new training materials, you must perform assessment tool validation prior to student use. There's no need to wait for your next scheduled validation. Check new materials immediately to confirm they are fit for student use.

Nevertheless, this isn't the only occasion to perform this type of validation. Perform assessment tool validation also when you:

- Amend your resources
- Add new training products on scope
- Audit your course with training product updates
- Note your learning resources as a risk during your risk assessment

The Australian Skills Quality Authority employs a risk-based approach for regulating RTOs and expects regular risk assessments. Therefore, student complaints about learning resources are an ideal time to conduct assessment tool validation.

What Training Products Need Validation?

Keep in mind that this validation ensures compliance of all educational resources before student use. All RTOs must validate resources for each subject unit.

Resources Needed to Start Assessment Tool Validation

To validate your assessment tools, you will need the complete set of your educational resources:

- Mapping Document: The first document to review. It shows which assessment items meet subject requirements, assisting in faster validation.
- Student Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an assessment resource during validation. Check if instructions are clear and input fields are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Assessor Guide: Also ensure if guidelines for evaluators are sufficient and if ASQA assessment validation guidelines clear benchmarks for each evaluation item are provided. Clear standards are crucial for reliable evaluation results.
- Other Related Resources: These may include checklists, registers, and evaluation templates developed separately from the student workbook and evaluation guide. Validate these to ensure they match the assessment activity and meet course unit requirements.

Panel for Validation

Clause 1.11 specifies the requirements for validation panel members. It states assessment validation can be performed by one or more people. However, RTOs usually ask all trainers and evaluators to participate, sometimes including industry experts.

Collectively, your assessment validation panel must have:

- Workplace Competencies and Up-to-date Industry Skills relevant to the unit being validated.
- Current Knowledge and Skills in Vocational Training.
- Either of the following certifications for training and assessment:
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor.

Principles Guiding Assessment

- Impartiality: Is equal opportunity and access provided to everyone in the assessment process?
- Flexibility: Are there multiple ways to demonstrate competence, accommodating different needs and preferences?
- Accuracy: Is the assessment relevant to the skills and knowledge it aims to evaluate?
- Dependability: Will the assessment produce consistent results every time?

Guidelines for Evidence

- Relevance: Is the evidence appropriate to the requirements of the unit of competency?
- Sufficiency: Is the evidence sufficient to cover all the required skills and knowledge?
- Originality: Does the evidence confirm the originality of the candidate's work?
- Relevance: Is the evidence up-to-date with current industry practices?

Key Considerations for Assessment Validation

Pay attention to the action words in the unit criteria and ensure they are addressed by the assessment task. For example, in the unit CHCECE032 Caring for Babies and Toddlers, one performance evidence requirement asks students to:

- Perform diaper changes
- Prepare and feed bottles, clean feeding equipment
- Feed babies with solid food
- React suitably to baby signals and cues
- Prepare babies for sleep and help them settle
- Monitor and encourage age-appropriate physical exploration and gross motor skills

Frequent Errors

Having students describe the nappy-changing process for babies under 12 months old doesn’t directly meet the unit requirement. Unless the unit specification is meant to assess theoretical understanding (i.e., knowledge evidence), students should be doing the tasks.

Watch Out for the Plurals!

Pay attention to the numbers. In our example, one of the unit requirements of CHCECE032 Baby and Toddler Care demands the students to complete the tasks at least once on two different babies under 12 months of age. Having students complete the tasks listed twice on just one baby is not sufficient.

Full Competence or Not Competent

Pay attention to enumerated tasks. As mentioned earlier, if students perform only half the tasks listed, it’s non-compliant. Each assessment item must address all specifications, or the student is incompetent, and the assessment method is out of compliance.

Provide Specific Details

Each evaluation task must have clear and specific standard answers to guide the evaluator’s decision on the student’s competence. Therefore, it’s crucial that your instructions do not baffle students or evaluators.

Double-Barrelled Questions: Avoid Them

Not using double-barrelled questions makes it easier for students to respond and for trainers to accurately judge student competence.

Ensuring Audit Compliance

Considering these requirements, you might wonder, “Don't resource developers provide audit guarantees?” However, with these promises, you must wait for an audit before they help rectify noncompliance. This influences your compliance status, so it's better to take a proactive and compliant approach.

By following these recommendations and understanding the principles of assessment and rules of evidence, you can ensure that your evaluation tools are reliable with the requirements set by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.